Starpharma Holdings
Starpharma Holdings (ASX: SPL) is focused on the development of dendrimer nanotechnology for pharmaceutical, drug delivery and other applications. Products based on Starpharma’s dendrimer technology are already on the market as diagnostic elements and laboratory reagents through licence agreements.
Starpharma Holdings cancer drug delivery system improves anti-cancer effect in breast cancer
Wednesday, February 01, 2012 by Christine Feary
Starpharma Holdings (ASX: SPL, OTCQX: SPHRY) has demonstrated that its dendrimer-docetaxel formulation is more effective than docetaxel, a leading chemotherapy drug.
The latest study looked at a breast cancer xenograft in mice to examine Starpharma’s drug delivery program for docetaxel.
Mice were implanted with breast cancer cells that were allowed to grow to a predetermined tumour size, following which 10 mice per group were dosed with either dendrimer-docetaxel, docetaxel or saline on days 1, 8 and 15.
The tumour volume was then assessed.
Of the animals treated with the dendrimer-docetaxel formulation, 60% had no evidence of tumour at 94 days.
In comparison, 100% of animals treated with docetaxel alone showed significant tumour regrowth or recurrence by day 60.
Results from the study show a strong enhancement of the anti-cancer effect from Starpharma’s dendrimer-docetaxel formulation compared to docetaxel alone.
The improved efficacy of the dendrimer-docetaxel formulation is believed to stem from the longer circulating half-life, the extended release of docetaxel from the dendrimer and the targeting of the dendrimer construct to the tumour tissue.
This study builds on a previous experiment which found that the addition of the dendrimer formulation to docetaxel improved water solubility.
Improved water solubility could allow for the removal of formulation components in existing drugs that are thought to cause severe allergic reactions and fluid retention in some patients.
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