Theralase Technologies Inc (CVE:TLT) has extended its sponsored research agreement (SRA) with the University Health Network (UHN), one of the world's top-cancer research institutes.
Under the terms of the SRA, Theralase and UHN will work together to evaluate Theralase's patented and patent-pending platform of novel ruthenium- and osmium-based patient-derived cells (PDCs) for new cancer indications, including lung, melanoma and brain cancer.
UHN will continue to give Theralase a leg-up in its work on submissions to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval of an investigational new drug application.
It will also provide Theralase with scientific support for Health Canada and the FDA in approval of a phase IIb clinical trial for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC), one of the most common forms of cancer in the world.
Theralase, probably best known for its cold-laser devices used to treat tissue & muscle damage and to provide pain relief, has caused a lot of excitement with its work on PDCs, required for photo dynamic therapy (PDT) used to combat the spread of cancer.
UHN will supply scientific support as the efficacy of these PDCs are tested, both in “in vitro” (petri dish) and “in-vivo” (animal) models, as Theralase seeks to determine the lead drug candidate and PDT treatment conditions for subsequent phase Ib human clinical trials, Theralase said.
The research will include determination of the light dosage levels and light feedback system that will allow real-time monitoring of the safe and effective destruction of cancers such as lung, melanoma and brain cancer.
“The goal is to match the PDC with the optimal therapeutic wavelength as a tool to confine PDT treatment to a depth that is equal to the depth of tumour invasion into the tissue structure. While this depth can be localized by proper laser probe placement in relation to the organ of interest during treatment, wavelength is an additional methodology to avoid damage to healthy organ structures,” Theralase told investors.
Additionally, the research will explore if these PDCs are capable to initiate an immune response as seen for other cancers leading to a vaccination against tumour recurrence.
"Theralase continues to have a great working relationship with UHN and its team of clinical and scientific researchers in the development of Theralase's PDC technology. We look forward to expanding the application of our PDCs to include lung, melanoma and brain cancers," said Roger Dumoulin-White, president and chief executive officer of Theralase.
Dr Lothar Lilge, PhD, senior scientist at UHN, said: "Theralase's vision to expand the application of its PDC technology beyond NMIBC, to other cancer indications, such as lung, melanoma and brain cancer, is based on prior work completed. The initial findings in in-vitro and in-vivo models using Theralase's anti-cancer PDC technology are very promising.”
“We were able to demonstrate complete cell death for a wide range of cancer cells at nanomolar concentrations of the PDC following light activation and without toxicity in the absence of light,” Dr Lilge added.