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Phenoxodiol
blocks enzyme, prevents cancer growth
Reuters
- New York
 Novogen
Ltd. recently reported preliminary evidence that its experimental
drug phenoxodiol blocks an enzyme that promotes cancer growth, which
boosted its share price up more than 60 per cent.
The drug inhibited the enzyme sphingosine kinase, blocking many
of the activities of the cancer cell, including its ability to survive
and proliferate, Novogen said.
‘‘The
experimental anti-cancer drug phenoxodiol has proven to be a potent
inhibitor of sphingosine kinase,’’ said Mathew Vadas of
the Division of Human Immunology, Hanson Center for Cancer Research
in Adelaide, Australia.
‘‘The
importance of this is that we now have a new means of inhibiting
this enzyme, which we believe is a major contributor to the cancer
process in humans.
‘‘We
are not sure yet whether just inhibition of sphingosine kinase alone
will be enough to stop cancer growth, but the early evidence suggests
that it would make a significant contribution,’’ said
Vadas, who is spearheading the research on phenoxodiol for the Australian-based
company which has US offices in Stamford, Connecticut.
Novogen’s American Depositary Shares rose $3.53 to $9.28 in
morning trade, making the issue the second-largest percentage gainer
on Nasdaq. The stock has a 52-week range of $5.35 to $15.
Phenoxodiol is in phase Ib/IIa clinical trials in Australia and
will begin a phase Ib trial within 30 days, in patients with solid
tumours, at the Taussig Cancer Center at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
Novogen, which early in the year focused the drug as a prostate
cancer treatment, said the Australian and initial US trials are
only at an early stage and the success of the treatment will not
be known until larger, randomised trials with optimal doses can
be conducted.
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