(RTTNews) - Cell Genesys (CEGE) fell in pre-market trading, after the company terminated its trial of an advanced prostate cancer drug.

The stock was down $1.89 just after 8:25 am ET, dropping to 91 cents. If pre-market losses hold, the stock will open at a new 52-week low.

Cell Genesys announced that it has terminated VITAL-2, the second of two Phase 3 clinical trials of GVAX immunotherapy for prostate cancer.

The study compares GVAX immunotherapy in combination with Taxotere to Taxotere plus prednisone in patients with advanced-stage prostate cancer.

The company ended the trial as recommended by its Independent Data Monitoring Committee,or IDMC, which observed an imbalance in deaths between the two treatment arms of the study.

To date, VITAL-2 enrolled 408 patients. The IDMC based its recommendation on 114 deaths of which 67 occurred in the GVAX plus Taxotere combination treatment arm and 47 deaths occurred in the Taxotere control arm. The company expects the results of the VITAL-1 futility analysis in approximately one month.

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