Noxopharm Ltd (ASX:NOX) has commenced the third clinical trial of its lead product, NOX66, in men with metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer.
NOX66 is a dosage formulation of the experimental anti-cancer drug, idronoxil, developed specifically to preserve the anti-cancer activity in the body and to enhance its drug-like behaviour.
Noxopharm has initiated the Phase 1b study involving 24 men and is being conducted at 5 radiation oncology clinics in Queensland and New South Wales.
The objective is to sensitise the cancer cells to radiation to the extent that even a low dose of radiotherapy will lead to better tumour responses and increased patient survival.
NOX66 is being used as a radio-sensitiser in men who have no remaining standard therapeutic treatment options left.
The patients will be scanned at three and six months to determine the extent of any response in both irradiated and non-irradiated tumours, and the durability of any response.
Interestingly, Noxopharm had previously reported pre-clinical findings supporting the use of NOX66 to treat secondary brain cancers.
The company’s shares are having a great run on the ASX, rising circa 73% over the last one year to $0.32.