Each product in OncoGenex’ oncology Pipeline has a distinct mechanism of action and represents a unique opportunity for cancer drug development.

Custirsen (OGX-011)
OncoGenex’ Phase 3 compound, custirsen, is designed to inhibit the production of clusterin, an antiapoptotic, stress-induced protein that confers treatment resistance when overexpressed in a variety of tumors. Custirsen has completed five Phase 2 clinical trials in prostate, lung and breast cancers.

OncoGenex is collaborating with Teva Pharmaceuticals on a global clinical development program. Two Phase 3 studies in castrate-resistant prostate cancer are currently enrolling patients throughout North America and Europe. A Phase 3 study in patients with non-small cell lung cancer is planned to initiate in 2012.

OGX-427
OGX-427 is our Phase 2 product candidate that is designed to reduce production of heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27), a cell survival protein found at elevated levels in many human malignancies. Anti-cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, hormone ablation and radiation therapy, are known to further enhance Hsp27 expression.

Phase 1 and 2 clinical trials evaluating OGX-427 in bladder cancer are currently open and enrolling patients. Additionally, OGX-427 is being evaluated in a Phase 2 study in castrate-resistant prostate cancer. Preliminary data results from the OGX-427 Phase 1 trial in bladder cancer and the Phase 2 trial in prostate cancer will be presented at ASCO Genitourinary Cancer Symposium in February 2012.

OGX-225
OGX-225 is a second generation antisense drug designed to inhibit the production of both Insulin Growth Factor Binding Protein -2 and -5 (IGFBP-2, IGFBP-5) for the treatment of cancer. Increased IGFBP-2 or IGFBP-5 production is observed in many human cancers, including prostate, non-small cell lung, breast, ovarian, bladder, pancreatic, colon, AML, ALL, glioma, neuroblastoma, and melanoma. Increased IGFBP-2 or IGFBP-5 production is linked to faster rates of cancer progression, treatment resistance and shorter survival duration in humans.

Pre-clinical studies conducted by the Vancouver Prostate Centre and others in human prostate, bladder, glioma and breast cancer, have shown that reducing IGFBP-2 and IGFBP-5 production with OGX-225 sensitized these tumor types to hormone ablation therapy or chemotherapy and induced tumor cell death.

CSP-9222
CSP-9222 is a novel small molecule designed to induce apoptosis for the treatment of cancer. Via activation of caspases 3/7 and inducer of Fas Ligand (Fasl), CSP-9222 has potential broad application in a variety of cancers including breast, colon, lung, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate and melanoma

In preclinical studies, CSP-9222 inhibited cell growth and demonstrated a delay in disease progression in breast, colon, and drug-resistant colon cancer (xenograft models in mice).