FDA halts cancer-drug trial after patients die

A Phase III clinical trial of CTI BioPharma’s cancer drug pacritinib has been shut down following patient deaths from cardiac arrest and intracranial hemorrhage. FDA put a partial hold on the trial last week, requiring the drug company to halt new patient enrollment. However, CTI said Tuesday that FDA had put the study on full clinical hold after patients died from “intracranial hemorrhage, cardiac failure, and cardiac arrest.” As a result, all patients taking pacritinib must stop using the drug, and no new patients can be enrolled.