Bristol-Myers Squibb and researchers recruiting patients

Bristol-Myers Squibb and a cancer centre have said they are seeking patients with pleural mesothelioma for a clinical trial.

The subjects are being sought for research measuring the effectiveness of Dasatinib – a type of protein-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, also known as Sprycel.

Clinical trials saw biomarker levels in patients rise, as they received 70 milligrams of the drug twice-daily over 28 days.

Users who respond well to Dasatinib may then continue the programme for two years following surgery.

Symptoms of pleural mesothelioma include chest pain, chronic cough, difficulty breathing and fluid within the cavity of the lungs.

At the moment, patients who are diagnosed with the condition undergo surgery to remove cancerous sections of their lungs and can choose to go through several rounds of chemotherapy.

Last week, Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Ixempra received a negative recommendation from the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use.

The organisation cited safety concerns as the reason for its decision, with side effects of the drug including peripheral neuropathy, nausea, fatigue and anorexia.

Bristol-Myers Squibb employs 41,000 people and has global sales of $19.3 billion (13.1 billion pounds).

The company’s products include Abilify, Revataz, Sustiva, Erbitux and Avapro, among others.