Sirtex and Guerbet team for liver cancer studies

Sirtex Medical (ASX:SRX) and France’s Guerbet have joined forces to evaluate combining their respective liver cancer treatment technologies to help treat a range of primary and secondary liver cancers.

The companies plan to conduct clinical studies evaluating how Sirtex’s SIR-Spheres microspheres and Guerbet’s Lipidol Ultra Fluid can be combined or sequenced in treatments for liver cancers including hepatocellular carcinoma, metastatic colorectal cancer and metastatic neuroendocrine tumours.

The first project will involve a series of clinical studies designed to evaluate combining the two therapies to improve tumour control.

If the initial collaboration proves fruitful, the companies will consider future R&D and marketing collaborations.

SIR-Spheres are designed to deliver targeted doses of radiation to patients with inoperable liver tumours and metastases, a treatment known as selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT).

Lipidol is used in conjunction with an anticancer drug in trans-arterial chemo-embolisation (cTACE) procedures, with Lipidol acting as a contrast agent, drug vehicle and an embolic.

“Sirtex’s and Guerbet’s shared vision is that one day, rather than being a terminal disease that patients unfortunately die from, liver cancer may be considered a chronic disease that patients can successfully live with,” Sirtex CEO Dr Gilman Wong commented.

Guerbet CEO Dr Yves L’Epine added this will be the first time Lipidol and SIR-Spheres will be formally evaluated together or sequentially in liver cancers.

Sirtex (ASX:SRX) shares were trading 0.63% lower at $15.90 as of around 2 pm on Tuesday.