Relay Therapeutics announced Tuesday that their investigational drug demonstrated success in reducing abnormal blood vessel formations and alleviating symptoms in patients suffering from uncommon vascular conditions during a mid-stage clinical trial.
The experimental medication, called zovegalisib, decreased the size of abnormal growths by a minimum of 20% in approximately 60% of participants after 12 weeks of treatment.
According to the company, virtually every patient experienced some degree of reduction in their condition, and all continued their treatment regimen through the study’s conclusion.
Medical professionals reported symptom improvements in roughly 89% of cases, while patients themselves noted better outcomes in about 79% of instances, particularly regarding pain relief and reduced swelling after the 12-week period.
The drug demonstrated effectiveness even in patients who had previously received other medications including alpelisib and sirolimus, the company reported.
“With a mutant-selective approach, zovegalisib is able to achieve clinical activity with a much better tolerability profile,” Don Bergstrom, president of R&D, told Reuters.
The company emphasized that no participants stopped their treatment because of adverse reactions, and severe complications were minimal throughout the study period.
Researchers found that smaller doses appeared appropriate for extended treatment periods, though higher dosages were deemed unsuitable for continued development in this specific patient population.
“There have been no discontinuations on our study to date due to adverse events and currently all patients remain on therapy,” Bergstrom said.
The pharmaceutical company stated that these findings demonstrate the potential for a more precise treatment approach that could eliminate negative effects associated with earlier medications in this therapeutic category.
Moving forward, Relay Therapeutics plans to recruit additional participants at specific dosage amounts for the trial’s next phase.
The drug is simultaneously being investigated as a breast cancer treatment and earned U.S. “breakthrough therapy” designation in February when combined with fulvestrant for specific patients with advanced stages of the disease.
Vascular anomalies represent uncommon medical conditions characterized by abnormal development of blood or lymphatic vessels, resulting in pain, swelling and additional health complications.
