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- Starpharma Holdings has released positive results from a clinical study for its DEP irinotecan anti-cancer treatment, showing strong effectiveness in slowing tumour growth
- The product is based on Starpharma’s DEP drug delivery technology, which is designed to improve the efficacy of other cancer treatment medicines
- Starpharma said the study showed “significant anti-tumour efficacy and synergy” in DEP irinotecan compared to standard irinotecan and Lynparza in human colon cancer
- Starpharma shares are down a slight 0.45 per cent just before market close today, worth $1:12 apiece in a $414.47 million market cap
Melbourne-based pharmaceutical company Starpharma Holdings has released positive results from a clinical study for its DEP irinotecan anti-cancer treatment.
Essentially, this product is based on Starpharma’s DEP drug delivery technology, which is designed to improve the efficacy of other cancer treatment medicines.
Starpharma’s last clinical study tested the effectiveness of DEP irinotecan against other anti-cancer treatments, including standard irinotecan and Lynparza. The study tested the DEP irinotecan treatment both alone and when used in combination with these other treatments.
The study was conducted on mice implanted with human colon cancer cells. DEP itinotecan, standard irinotecan, and Lynparza were all tested — alone and in combination — on the subjects.
The results show what Starpharma calls a “significant anti-tumour efficacy and synergy” in DEP irinotecan compared to standard irinotecan and Lynparza in human colon cancer.
On the 28th day of the study — the latest day tested — standard irinotecan showed tumour growth was halted by 33 per cent compared to the vehicle control, which was in this case saline. DEP irinotecan, however, proved to be substantially more effective by slowing tumour growth by 62 per cent for low dose and 97 per cent for the high dose.
Lynparza on its own did not affect the tumours, and only a small effect on the proficiency of standard irinotecan. Yet, when used in combination with DEP irinotecan the effect was far greater than each individual treatment alone, and also greater than the typical effective of combing two anti-cancer agents.
As such, while the DEP irinotecan product is still in phase 1and two testings, the results are proving it to be effective as both a drug delivery treatment and a stand-alone treatment for certain cancer cells.
Starpharma shares are down a slight 0.45 per cent just before market close today, worth $1:12 apiece in a $414.47 million market cap.
