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- Race Oncology’s (RAC) preclinical research program has shown the Bisantrene treatment to be an effective chemotherapeutic agent
- The aim of the program was to identify the combination of existing breast cancer drugs that could be paired with Bisantrene to show better efficacy to existing treatment options
- To test this, sixteen breast cancer cell lines were screened for their sensitivity to Bisantrene and other common anti-cancer drugs
- Results showed Bisantrene was an effective chemotherapeutic agent across a wide range of genetically distinct breast cancer subtypes
- The treatment was able to kill some cancer subtypes that previously proved resistant to treatments that are currently used
- The company is now planning further studies to expand the range of clinically usable Bisantrene drug combinations
- Race Oncology is in the grey, last trading at $3.73
Race Oncology’s (RAC) preclinical research program has shown the Bisantrene treatment to be an effective chemotherapeutic agent.
Bisantrene is a potent inhibitor of a fat mass and obesity (FTO) associated protein. Over-expression of this protein has proven to be one of the main genetic drivers in a diverse range of cancers.
Race Oncology conducted a collaborative preclinical research program with cancer researcher, Associate Professor Nikki Verrills of the University of Newcastle and Hunter Medical Research Institute.
The aim of the program was to identify the combination of existing breast cancer drugs which, when paired with Bisantrene, showed better efficacy than existing treatment options, but with reduced side effects.
In order to test this, sixteen breast cancer cell lines were screened for their sensitivity to Bisantrene and other common anti-cancer drugs used in breast cancer patients. Bisantrene was compared to doxorubicin and epirubicin as both a single agent and in combination with cyclophosphamide.
The use of Bisantrene as a treatment alone against a range of breast cancer genetic subtypes was also explored.
Results demonstrated that Bisantrene was an effective chemotherapeutic agent across a wide range of genetically distinct breast cancer subtypes. The treatment was able to kill some cancer subtypes that have previously proven resistant to the currently used treatments.
“The final results from Nikki’s team highlights Bisantrene’s potential use in breast cancers resistant to current treatments. Not only does Bisantrene offer a potentially safer alternative to existing chemotherapeutic drugs, it may also help patients who have exhausted other treatment options,” said Race’s CSO Dr Daniel Tillet.
These results are highly supportive of Race Oncology’s plans to progress Bisantrene as a safer alternative to the current treatments used for breast cancer patients.
Race CEO Phillip Lynch added, “This new research underscores our confidence in moving Bisantrene into phase two breast cancer trials and continues to build on the body of evidence we have supporting Bisantrene’s broader applications. Our aim here is to bring a valuable new treatment forward for the management of breast cancer.”
The company is now planning further studies to confirm the clinical significance of FTO overexpression in breast cancer, while also expanding the range of clinically usable Bisantrene drug combinations.
Race Oncology is in the grey, last trading at $3.73 at 10:05 am AEDT.
