Dr. Lawrence Mayer on CPX-351 for Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Lawrence Mayer, PhD, president, founder and chief scientific officer of Celator Pharmaceuticals, explains the technology behind CPX-351, a liposomal formulation of cytarabine and daunorubicin. CPX-351 was recently granted Fast Track Designation by the FDA for the treatment of elderly patients with relapsed acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

CPX-351 utilizes CombiPlex, a drug ratio technology platform, which identifies the optimal ratio of a drug that will deliver a synergistic benefit to tumor cells, and locks in and maintains that desired ratio.

CPX-351 provides extended circulation lifetime and accumulation in the bone marrow, where the tumor cells grown and reside in AML patients. The drug accumulates less in normal tissue when compared to conventional treatments, reducing toxicity and improving efficacy, says Mayer.