Contact | Print version | PDF version | Send article | RSS feed

OncoMethylome Sciences to Perform MGMT Testing in RTOG Phase III Study of Avastin for Glioblastoma

OncoMethylome's Technology is being used in RTOG Clinical Trial Program with Avastin

20 Apr 2009 - OncoMethylome Sciences announced that it has begun MGMT gene promoter methylation testing in a recently started Phase III clinical trial for the U.S.-based, Radiotherapy Oncology Group (RTOG) in newly diagnosed brain tumors (glioblastoma [GBM]).
 
This trial will compare the current standard-of-care therapy, concurrent chemoradiation and adjuvant temozolomide (Temodar®, Schering-Plough) with the standard-of-care and the addition of bevacizumab (Avastin®, Genentech, a wholly-owned member of the Roche Group). All patients will receive standard therapy of radiation and daily temozolomide for three weeks. Patients will then be stratified by MGMT methylation status and molecular profile to receive standard therapy plus bevacizumab or a continuation of their standard therapy plus placebo. OncoMethylome Sciences will receive payments for performing MGMT testing using their patented Methylation-Specific PCR technology.
 
"Prior studies have shown that patients with methylated MGMT are more likely to respond to temozolomide-based therapy. Since encouraging response rates have been demonstrated in phase II trials of Avastin for treatment in patients with recurrent glioblastoma, we designed this trial as a natural progression to evaluate the benefits of the combination therapy in newly diagnosed GBM," said Mark R. Gilbert, MD, the study's principal investigator and professor of neuro-oncology at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. "The goal of RTOG 0825 is to demonstrate improvements in progression-free and overall survival in all GBM patients being treated with the combination therapy versus temozolomide/radiation therapy alone."