Sirtex to investigate nanoparticle anti-cancer technology

Sirtex Medical (ASX:SRX) has teamed up with Singaporean medical researchers to explore the potential of a technology known as Carbon Gage Nanoparticles in fighting hard-to-treat cancers.

SingHealth, a public academic healthcare cluster, will collaborate with Sirtex on research into the applications of the ANU-originating nanoparticle technology.

The first in one of several planned research programs will evaluate the technology's use in the treatment of advanced ovarian cancer that has spread within the abdominal and pelvic cavities.

Sirtex said the treatment approach also has potential applications in gastro-intestinal, hepatobiliary and other female genito-urinary cancers.

Carbon Gage Nanoparticles are capable of carrying high internal payloads of radioactive material inside an inert outer carbon shell. This gives the technology applications in carrying cancer-target agents to cancerous cells while evading detection by the immune system.

The underlying technology, Technegas, was originally developed by Dr Bill Burch at the ANU and the Royal Canberra Hospital in 1984.

Sirtex and the ANU have since 2006 been working on an injectible form of the nanoparticles capable of carrying therapeutic radioisotopes, and Sirtex has in-licensed this technology from the university.

Sirtex CEO Gilman Wong said the company chose to partner with SingHealth because the organisation “has the expertise to effectively conduct pre-clinical development and quickly translate these findings into clinical use.”

Sirtex's flagship product is its SIR-Spheres targeted radiation therapy liver cancer treatment, so cancer products based on Carbon Gage Nanoparticles potentially makes a good fit.

While the company has been routinely reporting strong dose sales growth for SIR-Spheres, it is investing in clinical trials and additional manufacturing capacity as part of efforts to capture a more significant share of the addressable market for liver cancer treatments.

Sirtex Medical (ASX:SRX) shares were trading marginally lower at $11.72 as of around 3pm on Wednesday.