Phase II study of lonidamine in non-small cell lung cancer: final report

Lonidamine (LND) is a new anti-cancer drug which interferes with the energy-yielding processes of tumour cells without affecting DNA replication. A total of 69 previously untreated patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) entered this study. LND was given orally as a single agent at doses ranging from 450 to 900 mg day-1 until tumour progression (2 to greater than or equal to 1,402 days). Partial responses (PR) occurred in 7/69 patients (10.1%); 4/25, 1/27 and 2/9 for epidermoid, adenocarcinoma and large cell cancer respectively. PR by stage was 4/10, 1/3, 1/20 and 1/28 for stages I, II, III and IV, respectively. The median duration of response was 303 days (greater than or equal to 61 to greater than or equal to 338 days). The median survival for the whole group was 261 days. Toxicity was assessed in all patients. No myelosuppression occurred. The main side-effects were myalgia (68%), loss of appetite (23%), asthenia (20%) and testicular pain (13%). Doses above 450 mg day-1 produced more severe side-effects without any improvement in therapeutic activity.