Clinical trials will include breast, non-small-cell lung, head and neck, melanoma, and ovarian cancers.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) will be investigating Abraxis BioScience’s metastatic breast cancer medication, Abraxane, in various oncology settings. Abraxis and AstraZeneca, which copromote Abraxane in the U.S., will provide funding for the clinical studies.

The clinical research will evaluate Abraxane in breast, non-small-cell lung, head and neck, melanoma, and ovarian cancers. Studies will cover tumor gene expression and the expression of SPARC, or secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine, a protein that is overexpressed and secreted in various cancers. SPARC, a known prognostic factor for poor survival in a number of tumor types, is an albumin-binding protein that may mediate an enhanced antitumor effect of Abraxane via a SPARC-albumin interaction.

Abraxane is currently indicated in the U.S. for the treatment of breast cancer after failure of combination chemotherapy for metastatic disease or relapse within six months of adjuvant chemotherapy. The drug brought in $73.8 million in revenues during the second quarter of 2008 compared to $78.7 million for the same period in 2007.

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