Captisol will be utilized in a selective small molecule inhibitor of aurora kinases.
CyDex licensed its Captisol® enabling technology to Sunesis Pharmaceuticals for formulation of a selective aurora kinase inhibitor with antitumor activity across a number of nonclinical human cancer models.
CyDex states that this technology improves water solubility, bioavailability, and complexation characteristics of insoluble and/or unstable drugs.
Sunesis will use Captisol for the formulation of SNS-314, a selective small molecule inhibitor of aurora kinases that potently inhibits proliferation of a wide panel of human cancer cell lines. An IND has been submitted for SNS-314, and a Phase I trial for the treatment of patients with solid tumors is planned to begin in the second quarter of 2007.