Calando Pharmaceuticals Doses First Patient in siRNA Phase I Clinical Trial

Calando Pharmaceuticals, a majority-owned subsidiary of Arrowhead Research Corporation announced that the first patient has successfully completed the first dosing cycle (four doses over two weeks) of CALAA-01 in the first clinical trial using systemically-delivered siRNA to treat cancer.

CALAA-01 is a targeted nanoparticle, comprised of a proprietary, non-chemically-modified siRNA against the M2 subunit of ribonucleotide reductase - a clinically-validated cancer target - formulated with Calando’s proprietary RONDEL™ (RNAi/Oligonucleotide Nanoparticle Delivery) polymer delivery system.

The first patient was enrolled and dosed at South Texas Accelerated Research Therapeutics (START) in San Antonio, Texas.

This open-label, dose-escalation Phase I study in patients with solid tumors which are refractory to standard-of-care therapies is being conducted at the UCLA Jonsson Cancer Center (UCLA) in Los Angeles, California, and at South Texas Accelerated Research Therapeutics (START) in San Antonio, Texas. It is being led by Drs. Antoni Ribas (UCLA) and Anthony Tolcher (START).

“The initiation of this Phase I clinical trial of CALAA-01 is a hallmark for Calando and for the field of RNAi therapeutics,” said Calando CSO for siRNA delivery, Jeremy Heidel, Ph.D.

Heidel added, “We look forward to the continued treatment of this patient and subsequent patients and the establishment of safety and efficacy profiles for CALAA-01 in humans.”