AstraZeneca evaluating Starpharma cancer drugs

Starpharma's (ASX:SPL) cancer drug development platform has attracted the attention of UK pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca.

AstraZeneca has signed an agreement giving it the right to test some Starpharma oncology molecules based on its dendrimer molecule nanotechnology platform.

The agreement will see AstraZenica conduct oncology studies using the dendrimer molecules, to assess their suitability for specific applications in treating cancer.

Starpharma was quiet on the anti-cancer molecules involved, citing confidentiality restrictions, but did disclose that the agreement does not relate to its dendrimer docetaxel program.

Starpharma is preparing to next year conduct phase II trials for a formulation of chemotherapy drug docetaxel produced using its dendrimer platform.

But Starpharma is also working with a range of partners to extend its dendrimer platform to a wider range of drugs, including more chemotherapeutics and platinum-based anti-cancer drugs.

Starpharma's Dendrimer platform has applications far beyond oncology drugs – the company estimates that 50% of the world's top 200 drugs would be amenable to dendrimer conjugation.

One such non-oncology product is VivaGel, a topical gel in phase III trials as a treatment for bacterial vaginosis. Starharma is also working with Ansell (ASX:ANN) and Okamoto to produce lines of VivaGel coated condoms, and expects royalties from these product to run into nine figures.

Starpharma (ASX:SPL) shares climbed 8.07% in Thursday's trading to $1.54, and dropped back to $1.51 as of 1pm Friday.