Newly listed Noxopharm Ltd (ASX:NOX) has initiated a major research program testing the ability of its experimental drug NOX66 to promote the anti-cancer effects of radiotherapy.
The ability of the active ingredient of NOX66, idronoxil, to cancel cancer drug resistance mechanisms is believed to have the potential to increase the effectiveness of radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
The program will be based around pilot clinical studies in several countries including Australia, involving relatively small numbers of patients with specific cancer types.
The new studies will involve the use of NOX66 with radiotherapy in cancers including metastatic prostate cancer where multiple tumours are present and irradiation of all tumours is impractical.
The dosage of radiotherapy is palliative in such cancers because of the advanced nature of the disease.
This program will run in parallel with the Phase 1a/1b/2a study being established in Europe where NOX66 is being tested in combination with chemotherapy.
Radiotherapy suffers the same challenge as chemotherapy – cancer cells learn how to survive the therapy.
Noxopharm listed on the ASX last week, after raising $6 million in an over-subscribed IPO.
The company is headed by CEO Graham Kelly, who held various senior roles for nearly 20 years at Novogen Ltd (ASX:NRT).
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