Sunesis Announces Publication of Nonclinical Data Demonstrating Activity of Vosaroxin Alone and in Combination With Cytarabine in Patients' Acute Myeloid Leukemia Blasts (SNSS)

Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. SNSS today announced the publication of new nonclinical data by a leading academic group on the Company's lead drug candidate, vosaroxin, in the March 2011 issue of Haematologica. The results show vosaroxin's potent cytotoxic activity in primary patient AML blasts ex vivo when used alone and synergistic activity when used in combination with cytarabine, the current treatment standard in AML, consistent with prior observations in preclinical models. The studies also extend Sunesis observations in primary breast and ovarian cancer biopsies that vosaroxin remains active in the absence of p53, a tumor suppressing protein associated with resistance to chemotherapy. Sunesis is currently enrolling patients in the VALOR trial, a multinational, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, pivotal Phase 3 clinical trial of vosaroxin in combination with cytarabine in first relapsed or primary refractory AML.