Starpharma's anti-cancer docetaxel beats Taxotere in animals

Starpharma (ASX:SPL) said animal trials of its dendrimer-docetaxel showed superior anti-cancer activity compared to the original formula.

Dendrimer-docetaxel outperformed Taxotere – the branded original version of docetaxel – across all four tumour types tested. These were breast, prostate, lung and ovarian tumours.

Starpharma's formulation resulted in a 26-47% reduction in mean tumour cell survival compared to Taxotere alone.

The disparity between relative effectiveness was widest in lung tumours, followed by ovarian cancers.

Starpharma CEO Dr Jackie Fairley said the results are encouraging. “If the dendrimer formulation's superiority...is maintained in the clinic, then it could have very wide application.”

Previous animal trials suggest that the formulation may be 40 times more effective at targeting tumours compared to Taxotere.

Starpharma's dendrimer-docetaxel is produced as a generic version of Taxotere, but uses the company's dendrimer molecule platform for delivery. The company is engaged in early research to extend the platform to other chemotherapy treatments, and to more classes of drug.

Starpharma was dealt a setback to its concurrent VivaGel program last month, when a phase III trial of the product in bacterial vaginosis (BV) failed to meet the primary endpoint required for US FDA approval.

The company will no longer file an NDA for VivaGel as a cure for BV, but will pursue its development as a potential prevention for BV recurrence.

Starpharma (ASX:SPL) shares were trading unchanged at $1.030 as of 3:45pm on Friday.