Dr. Petrylak on Custirsen in Prostate Cancer

Daniel P. Petrylak, MD, director, Prostate and GU Medical Oncology, Yale Cancer Center, discusses a phase III trial measuring the efficacy of custirsen plus docetaxel versus docetaxel alone in patients with prostate cancer (SYNERGY trial).

Petrylak believes the science behind custirsen is good. Custirsen is a second-generation antisense inhibitor of clusterin​​, which may play a fundamental role in cancer cell survival and treatment resistance.

In a phase II trial, prostate cancer patients experienced a survival benefit when treated with custirsen. The results of the phase III trial should read out this year, Petrylak says.