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Theralase Technologies' anti-cancer compound passes milestone

Last updated: 23:24 22 Apr 2016 AEST, First published: 18:24 22 Apr 2016 AEST

Cancer
The expectation is that the technology will also be effective in treating other forms of cancer

Theralase Technologies Inc. (CVE:TLT) has reached a milestone in the development of its lead anti-cancer treatment, TLD-1433.

The medtech's revolutionary photo dynamic therapy (PDT) promises a more effective, less invasive alternative treatment to combat cancer without the side effects of alternative remedies, such as chemo-therapy.

The latest development paves the way for the company's lead photodynamic compound (PDC), TLD 1433, to be used in treating patients in a clinical study, as it has proved it has maintained its effectiveness even after a long period in a variety of storage conditions, adjusted for environmental factors such as temperature, humidity and light.

The compound demonstrated six-month accelerated stability and nine-month long-term stability in clinical trials, satisfying Health Canada guidelines for the use of drugs in treating patients in a clinical study.

“Under accelerated and long term stability storage conditions, the drug is evaluated by High Performance Liquid Chromatography to separate, identify and quantify each chemical component to a very high degree of resolution to assess if any change occurs in the chemical composition over time,” Theralase explained.

Long term stability is completed over three years, with reporting at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24 and 36 months, while accelerated stability is completed over six months, with reporting at 0, 3 and 6 months.

Theralase is currently pursuing an Investigational Testing Authorization of its proprietary laser system to activate the PDCs for the indication of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer.

Speaking to Proactive Investors, Roger Dumoulin-White, president, chief executive and founder of Theralase, said the company had chosen to address bladder cancer first, as it is one of the most common forms of cancer and there have been no breakthrough developments in its treatment for some time.

Theralase is focused on commencing and successfully completing a Phase Ib clinical trial for patients afflicted with NMIBC using its novel, next generation light-activated, anti-cancer drug, TLD-1433 for the primary end-points of safety and tolerability, with a secondary end-point of pharmacokinetics (movement of drug within tissue) and an exploratory endpoint of efficacy.

In what Dumoulin-White conceded sounded like science fiction technology - “we all know lasers burn, right; we've all seen the James Bond films, or Star Wars,” he quipped – Theralase's cold laser system triggers the PDC to do its stuff, using the body's own defense systems in a methodology that is considerably less invasive than traditional surgical remedies.

Cancer treatment potentially offers a very lucrative revenue stream for Theralase, which also has a division that focuses on using the biostimulative capabilities of its patented laser technology for tissue repair, inflammation treatment and pain relief.