NCI Collaboration

Syndax is studying entinostat for use in breast, lung and Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. Through a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), Syndax has expanded the testing of entinostat in multiple phase 2 clinical studies in various combinations.

Syndax and NCI are using a dual epigenetic therapy approach to treating advanced lung cancer. It has been shown that epigenetic gene silencing mediated by DNA methylation and histone deaceylation is a key contributor to lung carcinogenesis. Research suggests that combining DNA methyltransferase (DMNTi) with HDACi synergistically enhances expression of silenced tumor suppressor genes. Clinical studies combining DMNTi and HDACi have shown remarkable clinical activity in myelosdysplastic syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia. In an on-going phase 2 clinical trial in NSCLC entinostat and Vidaza demonstrated promising results that were presented by Dr. Rosalyn Juergens from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine at the 13th World Conference on Lung Cancer in 2009.

With the NCI Syndax is enrolling a phase 2 study of patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma examining the potential for entinostat plus IL-2, a phase 1 study examining the potential for entinostat plus Clolar® in adult patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and a phase 1 study examining the use of entinostat plus Nexavar® in all tumor types. For a complete list of ongoing clinical trials click here.