Starpharma seeks patent for dendrimer cancer drug

Starpharma (ASX:SPL) has filed for a new patent covering a formulation of the cancer drug doxorubicin after achieving positive results from preclinical trials in treating breast cancer metastases.

The company said an animal trial of doxorubicin produced using its dendrimer nanotechnology platform technology achieved superior results in lung metastases of breast cancer than doxorubicin alone.

The study, conducted in a rat model, also showed that dendrimer-doxorubicin administered intratracheally tended to remain in the lungs instead of spreading through the body. This indicates a potential for reduced side effects from Starpharma’s formulation.

Lung metastases are difficult to treat with conventional chemotherapy drugs. The mortality rate for patients with these tumours is around 85% within five years. Doxorubicin is one of the most common treatments used.

Starpharma CEO Dr Jackie Fairley said the results are encouraging. “The combination of Starpharma’s dendrimers, an existing cancer drug and direct lung administration appears to yield a substantially more efficacious agent for treating lung metastases than the drug alone,” she said.

Fairley said Starpharma filed for the patent as a precursor to potential deals for the cancer drug with commercial partners.

Starpharma is also using its dendrimer platform to produce a variant of chemotherapy docetaxel, which is being tested in tumours including breast, prostate, lung and ovarian.

Starpharma (ASX:SPL) shares were trading 3.15% higher at $1.145 as of around 1:30 pm on Monday.