Plexxikon has treated its first patient in a phase II trial in Hodgkin lymphoma with PLX3397. This agent is an oral, selective inhibitor that down-modulates two key cell types thought to mediate the progression of Hodgkin lymphoma tumors: macrophages and mast cells.

The trial is a multi-center, single-arm trial with approximately 30 patients enrolled who have been diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma who have relapsed or become refractory to standard therapies. Objectives of the trial include assessing the efficacy of orally administered PLX3397 as measured by overall response rate, as well as the duration of response, the disease control rate, progression-free survival, response biomarkers and overall safety.

"PLX3397 is an important product candidate both for Plexxikon's growing oncology franchise and for our FMS portfolio," said K. Peter Hirth, Ph.D., chief executive officer of Plexxikon. “Since PLX3397 targets multiple facets of Hodgkin lymphoma pathology, we expect treatment benefits to include both tumor growth inhibition, and reduction of invasiveness and metastatic spread.”