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- Race Oncology (RAC) has entered into a collaborative pre-clinical research program with the University of Newcastle, to further study the Bisantrene breast cancer treatment
- Eminent Cancer Researcher, Associate Professor Nikki Verrills from the Hunter Medical Research Institute, will lead the project
- The program hopes to identify combinations of current breast cancer drugs, that when paired with Bisantrene, show equivalent efficacy to existing treatment options but with significantly less side effects
- Current breast cancer treatments have been found to cause lifelong heart damage for patients
- Race’s Scientific Officer Dr Daniel Tillet said historical data shows Bianstrene can provide the same level of treatment but with considerably less damage to the patient’s heart
- Race’s share price is 7.3 per cent higher, selling for 36.5 cents each
Specialty pharmaceutical company, Race Oncology (RAC), has entered into a collaborative pre-clinical research program with the University of Newcastle, to further study Bisantrene for potential breast cancer treatment.
Eminent Cancer Researcher, Associate Professor Nikki Verrills from the Hunter Medical Research Institute, will lead the project.
The program hopes to identify combinations of current breast cancer drugs, that when paired with Bisantrene, show equivalent efficacy to existing treatment options but with significantly less side effects. Current breast cancer treatments have been found to cause life long heart damage for patients.
Race’s Chief Scientific Officer, Dr Daniel Tillet, said the study was an exciting development for the company and they were looking forward to working with Nikki Verrills.
“Historical trial data has shown that Bisantrene can provide the same level of treatment as existing chemotherapy drugs, yet with considerably less damage to the patient’s heart,” Daniel said.
“We believe that this research may potentially unlock a number of new combinations and opportunities for the company,” he continued.
“I’m really looking forward to undertaking this project. Being able to apply our cancer expertise to Bisantrene, which has so much potential for improving the lives of cancer patients, is very exciting.”
Associate Professor, Nikki Verrills
What is Bisantrene?
Bisantrene was the subject of a large phase three single agent clinical trial in the United States in advanced breast cancer patients during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The trial showed that Bisantrene had the same efficacy as the standard of care treatment, doxorubicin, but caused significantly less damage to the patient’s heart (4 per cent with Bisantrene, 23 per cent with doxorubicin).
Race is pursuing combining Bisantrene with other therapies in breast cancer as well as other solid tumours, as part of its ‘5-Path’ strategy.
This could lead to new cancer treatments with improved safety and efficacy, with the results of this study to support their human trial of a Bisantrene in breast cancer, in Australia currently scheduled to begin later this year.
Race’s share price is 7.3 per cent higher at 1:15 pm AEST, selling for 36.5 cents each.
