ASX listed biotech company PharmAust, is rapidly making its mark on the anti-cancer drug industry with its promising ant-cancer drug known as "monepantel" or "MPL".
The company recently announced they would partner up with the same UK university that was first responsible for splitting the atom and the discovery of stem cells in their upcoming phase 2 trial of MPL in canines.
In a deal signed this week, Dr Jane Dobson from the Department of Veterinary Science at the University of Cambridge will oversee and evaluate the latest phase 2 trial which will test PharmAust's Monepantel drug in dogs.
Cambridge University is no slouch either given its long history of amazing discoveries which also include the jet engine and the structure of DNA. They have produced over 80 Nobel Laureattes in the past and turned out some of the best brains in the world including Isaac Newton and Stephen Hawking.
The phase 2 trial of Monepantel follows on from its successful phase 1 trial's and will only involve dogs that have otherwise failed to respond to more conventional cancer care.
According to the company, the phase 1 trial showed excellent safety with suppression of tumour markers and the phase 2 trial will build on these successful earlier results.
PharmAust previously reported that their phase 1 Monepantel trials were particularly challenging given the very unpalatable taste of their drug.
Human patients were reluctant to keep taking it and dogs were reluctant to take it at all given the particularly bad taste of Monepantel at the time.
The company has now arranged for a new, far more palatable version of the drug to be created in capsule form and this will be used in the phase 2 dog trials.
PharmAust's Chairman, Dr Roger Aston said: "We expect that the reformulation of MPL into capsules will enable initiation of the canine trial in Cambridge shortly. A stability programme with the reformulated capsules will also be initiated. The Phase I studies in man and canines showed that oral MPL was effectively absorbed as evidenced by pharmacokinetic analysis in man and by suppression of markers in both man and canines. We look forward to reporting on the outcomes of this important study".
By Matt Birney
