Fresh off the results of positive trials in Canada and the U.S., Ottawa-based pharmaceutical company PharmaGap (TSX:-V:GAP) said it's looking for a licensing agreement with a major drug company to market GAP-107B8, its lead cancer treatment.
One key hurdle PharmaGap will have to clear is that of toxicity. However, the company noted that recent animal tests in the company showed little to no effects, a result that was confirmed more recently at the Ottawa Hospital Research Institute.
In further results released in May, the Ottawa-based firm tested more than half of the 60 tumour cell lines -- dosing each with 20 to 40 micromolars -- and found complete growth inhibition and 20-per-cent cell death.
Of the nine cancer lines tested with dosage levels of five to 80 micromolars, prostate cancer showed the most promising result, ranging from 70 to 100-per-cent cell death.
For melanoma, the drug provoked 92-per-cent cell death at the most, with 88-per-cent death at the least.
Further tests are underway as well:
- How long the drug will remain active in blood plasma. This rat testing is taking place at the National Research Council in partnership with Tandem Laboratories. Results will be released in a few weeks.
- Testing the drug's effectiveness on melanoma and sarcoma cancer cells in vitro, at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Results will be released this month.
- Comparing GAP-107B8's effect against "normal" cells that don't have cancer, which is a measure of how toxic the drug is. Results will be released in July.
"Targeted testing will continue at an accelerated pace as we work to deliver the data required for a valuable licensing agreement and the introduction of our lead drug to clinical use", stated PharmaGap President Robert McInnis.
"I hope to announce soon the addition to the company of an experienced executive to lead in this opportunity to deliver an exciting new choice of treatment for cancer sufferers and reward to those who have carried the company to this position."