Yale JV to target ovarian cancer
Novogen Ltd, (NRT) has taken an important step in the development of its superbenzopyran technology, with the formation of a joint venture with Yale University to develop a pipeline of compounds for ovarian cancer. The new venture, to be named CanTx, will initially screen Novogen’s analogue library against Yale’s ovarian cancer tissue bank. CanTx will fund further development of resulting compounds and, it is hoped, will ultimately become the vehicle to realise Novogen’s vision of personalised chemotherapy. Meanwhile, Novogen continues its preclinical work aimed at bringing the Trilexium lead candidate to the IND stage by Q314.
CanTx to work with ovarian cancer stem cell leader
The joint venture will allow Novogen to work with Prof Gil Mor of Yale Medical School, a pioneer in ovarian cancer stem cell research. Novogen will own 85% of CanTx and will provide an estimated A$2m of initial development costs over the next three years. Yale will provide access to its proprietary ovarian cancer tissue bank (OCTB), containing 400 samples of primary and metastatic ovarian tumours. CanTx will fund further development of potentially a number of resulting compounds, with the ultimate aim of achieving personalised chemotherapy.
Ovarian cancer tissue bank
The OCTB facility is part of the NCI Ovarian Cancer Detection Program and contains ascites and serum samples from patients with ovarian cancer as well as age-matched, normal controls. An important component of the OCTB is a panel of ovarian cancer cells (n=36) isolated from ascites and 10 immortalised normal ovarian surface epithelial cells (OSE).
Trilexium – next steps in ovarian cancer
In vivo studies are underway of the lead super-benzopyran, Trilexium, in ovarian cancer as monotherapy and in combination with standard chemotherapy agents (taxanes/platinum). Data are expected in H114, which if positive, would pave the way for an IND application for US Phase I trials in Q314.
Financials: Funded to 2014
Novogen has cash of A$3.6m (October 2013), which provides a cash runway to H114, with additional funding available by way of a US$5m convertible note. This should allow completion of preclinical studies for Trilexium and the start of Phase I trials in both Asia-Pacific and the US, pending IND approval.
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