Race Oncology Limited (ASX: RAC) has achieved positive initial results from its continuing collaborative preclinical research programme with The University of Newcastle.
Eminent cancer researcher, Associate Professor Nikki Verrills of the Hunter Medical Research Institute is leading the project.
The aim of this recent preclinical research programme is to explore Bisantrene efficacy in ovarian cancer. Bisantrene was the subject of two-Phase II clinical trials in the USA in advanced ovarian cancer patients in the 1980s. These trials showed that Bisantrene was able to induce a clinical response in heavily pre-treated ovarian cancer patients, including those resistant to doxorubicin and other standard of care drugs of the period,
Race CSO, Dr Daniel Tillett, said early results show Bisantrene to be an effective chemotherapeutic agent in patient- derived ovarian cancer cell lines. Bisantrene was able to kill these cancer cells that were resistant to the current standard of care ovarian drugs, cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil and chlorambucil.
These initial results from Nikki’s team further highlight Bisantrene’s potential use in ovarian cancer patients as a safer alternative to the commonly used anthracyclines which can be very dangerous to the hearts of patients,” Dr Tillett said.
“It is highly encouraging that bisantrene is able to kill ovarian cancer cells resistant to currently used treatments and these findings support further exploration of the use of Bisantrene in ovarian cancer patients.”
CEO Phillip Lynch said Race continues to generate results reconfirming the historical positives for Bisantrene, in this case in ovarian cancer, the fifth most common form of cancer in women.
“Race Oncology has a broad range of opportunities, ovarian cancer included. This program is further evidence of Race delivering against the Three Pillar strategy, taking counsel, and completing feasibility assessments with a view to mapping promising yet attainable clinical paths for Bisantrene.”
Ovarian cancer is the fifth most common cause of cancer-related death among females. Crucially, it is the most lethal gynecologic malignancy in developed countries. Despite many modern advances in cancer therapy, the survival rate of ovarian cancer has not improved markedly over the past several decades. This is a function of the typically late diagnosis of the disease (often only after it has metastasized), and its rapidly developed resistance to standard of care treatments. New treatments are desperately needed.