PharmaDrug Inc (CSE:BUZZ) (OTCPINK:LMLLF) announced it is starting a preclinical study of its Cepharanthine formulation in a broad range of cancers.
The pharmaceutical company signed a service agreement with a contract research organization that boasts “deep expertise” in preclinical oncology model development and drug testing, it told investors in a statement.
The study will look at the anti-cancer properties of the enteric-coated formulation of Cepharanthine known as PD-001 in a large panel of solid and liquid cancer cell types.
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Cepharanthine is a natural product and an approved drug used for more than 70 years in Japan to successfully treat a variety of acute and chronic diseases. The drug shows multiple pharmacological indications – from anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, immuno-regulatory, anti-cancer, anti-viral to anti-parasitic properties – but its low oral bioavailability has represented a major obstacle to realizing its full clinical potential.
In cancer, preclinical efficacy models have shown Cepharanthine to restore cancer cell sensitivity to multiple unrelated classes of chemotherapy.
PharmaDrug is hoping to identify and provide focus on novel opportunities in oncology by revealing optimal drug combinations, situations where PD-001 can prevent, lessen, or reverse chemoresistance, or provide additive or synergistic benefit to existing treatments.
The US Food and Drug Administration granted Cepharanthine Orphan Drug Designation to treat esophageal cancer, which PharmaDrug plans to explore in the current study. Additionally, the company will try to expand on Cepharanthine's noted benefit in previously examined cancers, while also assessing potential benefit across a panel of untested cancer types, it told investors.
"We are focused on advancing the clinical development of our novel Cepharanthine formulation that not only has significant potential for infectious diseases, but also in select rare forms of cancer with high unmet medical needs," said Daniel Cohen, CEO of PharmaDrug in a statement.
"Our research and development strategy to identify highly probable uses of PD-001 in select cancer indications will allow us to de-risk and accelerate development of preclinical and clinical studies while building core competencies and scientific data for future partnering opportunities with pharmaceutical companies."
PharmaDrug focuses on the research, development and commercialization of controlled-substances and natural medicines such as psychedelics, cannabis and naturally derived approved drugs.
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