Calistoga Starts Mid-Stage Trial

Luke Timmerman10/19/10

Calistoga Pharmaceuticals, the Seattle-based developer of cancer drugs, said today it has started a mid-stage clinical trial of its lead drug candidate for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma. The trial is expected to enroll 65 patients who will get a twice-daily dose of Calistoga’s CAL-101 oral pill in combination with eight weekly infusions of Roche and Biogen Idec’s rituximab (Rituxan). Patients won’t get standard chemotherapy, and they will stay on CAL-101 as long as they continue to benefit. Calistoga raised $40 million in venture capital in June after it revealed promising results from its first clinical trial of CAL-101 at a medical meeting.

Luke Timmerman is the National Biotech Editor of Xconomy. E-mail him at ltimmerman@xconomy.com Follow @