Phosphagenics initiates anti-cancer compound animal trials

Melbourne's Phosphagenics (ASX:POH, AIM:PSG) will commence animal studies later this month on its patented anti-cancer compound.

The proposed animal studies will assess the anti-cancer properties of Phosphagenics' GTP-0805 -- a phosphorylated variant of gamma-tocopherol -- both alone and in combination with the antioxidant carotenoid lycopene or with an anti-cancer drug.

It's a new direction for Phosphagenics, which specialises in delivery systems and nutraceuticals. Last week it announced positive results from a trial of transdermal morphine.

"We decided to take GTP-0805 into animal studies as a result of positive findings from laboratory studies conducted in prostate and breast cancer cells," explained Katerina Karanikolopoulos, Phosphagenics' manager of corporate development. "It is an addition to our pipeline and will run in conjunction with our transdermal morphine, transdermal insulin and APA-01 anti-atherosclerosis program.

"GTP-0805 shows the broad applications of our technology and the growth potential of the company. The cost in terms of undertaking animal trials is not significant. If the results are positive we will continue into clinical trials by the end of the year -- but we still have more animal studies to conduct before that stage," she said.

The laboratory studies on GTP-0805 were undertaken on behalf of Phosphagenics by the Malaysian Palm Oil Board -- which the company said was a cancer specialist -- and revealed that the compound induced a greater than 90 per cent reduction in breast and prostate cancer cells.

In addition, GTP-0805 demonstrated a synergistic anti-cancer affect on prostate cancer cells when combined with the antioxidant carotenoid lycopene. According to Phosphagenics the studies also suggest that GTP-0805 can significantly inhibit the proliferation of breast cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner which, when compared to the established breast cancer drug Tamoxifen, was more effective.

"We are particularly delighted with our initial test results because they suggest GTP-0805 has a unique action that selectively inhibits and destroys cancer cells while leaving healthy cells undamaged," said Phosphagenics' executive director of R&D, Dr Esra Ogru, in a statement.

Phosphagenics believes GTP-0805 also has potential in the functional food market. Lycopene, a carotenoid present as a red pigment in a number of fruit and vegetables, has been linked to cancer prevention. The synergistic activity observed between GTP-0805 and lycopene in laboratory tests suggests that adding GTP-0805 to high lycopene-content foods, such as tomato pastes and sauces, may boost this natural cartenoid's activity. Commercially, GTP-0805 may offer a number of product differentiation opportunities for multinational and functional food producers, Phosphagenics said.