On Target Laboratories begins Phase 2 clinical trials for its cancer imaging agent

Officials at On Target Laboratories LLC, whose fluorescent imaging technology could help surgeons remove more cancerous tissue than previously possible, have announced that patients are being enrolled in a Phase 2 clinical trial to determine the safety and efficacy of the OTL38 imaging agent in patients with ovarian cancer.

On Target Laboratories has developed small-molecule ligands that target specific receptors that are over-expressed on solid tumor cancers. The ligands are attached to proprietary fluorescent imaging agents that light up the cancer during surgery.

Tim Biro, chief operating officer, said about 25,000 new cases of ovarian cancer are diagnosed annually and usually it is discovered in Stage 3 or Stage 4 when it has spread in the peritoneal cavity.

"One of the goals of cancer surgery is safely removing as much of the cancer as possible. OTL38 might help surgeons find lesions that otherwise may not have been found," he said. "This could allow for more complete removal of cancer during surgery."

Biro said the clinical trials will evaluate OTL38 in combination with several camera imaging systems.

"The study will include finding cancer lesions that fluoresce, which the surgeon might not have found because of the size or location," he said. "Up to five sites will participate in the Phase 2 study, with up to 45 patients enrolled between December and May."