In a Phase I Clinical Trial involving 17 patients with various types of cancer, Antisoma's drug candidate AS1411 showed promising anti-renal cancer activity. Antisoma was able to secure a U.S. orphan drug status for AS1411 in renal cancer, and is now recruiting 40 patients with renal and non-small cell lung cancers to participate in an extended study.

AS1411 is an aptamer, an oligonucleotide that can fold into a stable, three-dimensional structure capable of interacting with a particular target protein. AS1411 binds to the protein nucleolin, which is found on the surface of cancer cells. It is then internalised and has been shown to kill cancer cells in a range of models.

The reopened study is taking place at centres in the USA, led by the Brown Cancer Center, Louisville, Kentucky.