Dr. Pieczonka on the Rationale to Evaluate VERU-111 in mCRPC

Christopher Pieczonka, MD, director of clinical research, Crouse Health, discusses the rationale to evaluate sabizabulin (VERU-111) in men with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) in the phase 3 VERACITY trial (NCT04844749).

The rationale to evaluate VERU-111 in mCRPC was based on the hypothesis that oral chemotherapy could benefit patients who are likely to respond to intravenous (IV) chemotherapy, explains Pieczonka. IV chemotherapy is efficacious, but it is not targeted against a specific genetic abnormality, Pieczonka says. 

Historically, docetaxel was the standard IV chemotherapy used in mCRPC, Pieczonka adds. The drug is given in a high dose so that patient doesn’t have to come in for daily infusions, Pieczonka continues. Therefore, the patient receiving docetaxel can benefit for several weeks before requiring additional therapy. However, IV chemotherapy is associated with toxicities, such as neutropenia and neuropathy, Pieczonka adds. 

 Overall, oral chemotherapy could elicit similar therapeutic effects vs IV chemotherapy, Pieczonka says. However, by daily dosing with the oral medication, those toxicities may be mitigated, Pieczonka concludes.