Improved anti-fungal drug targets oncology market

The active ingredient in HalcyGen Pharmaceuticals" lead drug SUBA-Itraconazole is a potent inhibitor of the proliferation of endothelial cells.

These are the key cells involved in tumour-angiogenesis and related growth of tumours.

This finding emerged from the collaborative research agreement with the University of Otago, New Zealand to investigate the anti-tumour activities of the company's lead product SUBA-Itraconazole.

Research at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine published last year in the American Chemical Society's Chemical Biology, demonstrated that itraconazole has the ability to inhibit the growth of tumour vasculature (anti-angiogenesis). The physiological process of angiogenesis is important in the body for wound healing and tissue growth, however, it is also important in the transition to malignancy and growth of tumours. Tumours can induce new blood vessels (angiogenesis) to provide nutrients and oxygen essential for tumour growth. Researchers and companies have been searching for many years to find a potent drug that can inhibit or prevent tumour-related angiogenesis as a potential treatment for cancer. Genentech's Avastin, the first anti-angiogenesis drug, is used to treat colorectal cancer. Anti-angiogenesis drugs target a multi-billion dollar market.

The successful completion of the work at Otago paves the way to evaluating the ability and benefits of SUBA-Itraconazole in inhibiting tumour growth following oral administration.

The HalcyGen's SUBA-Itraconazole formulation was licensed from Hospira Inc. to treat fungal infections. Under the terms of the license agreement, HalcyGen may pursue and commercialise other clinical applications of SUBA-Itraconazole.

The current global market for itraconazole for the treatment of fungal infections is in excess of US $600m per annum.