TD2 and Critical Outcome Technologies to develop anticancer drug

TGen Drug Development (TD2) and Critical Outcome Technologies (COTI) are working together to obtain approval of clinical trials for a promising anticancer drug called COTI-2.

This small molecule compound was discovered and developed by COTI of London, Ontario, Canada.

TD2, the Scottsdale, Arizona-based drug development subsidiary of the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), will work with COTI to complete the Investigational New Drug (IND) application, enabling the research necessary to gain US Food and Drug Administration approval of clinical trials and eventually move the drug to market.

Initial tests have shown that COTI-2 can limit the growth of tumours in several types of cancer without the toxic side effects seen in other AKT inhibitors. It may also be more effective when used in combination with other anticancer drugs.

Daniel Von Hoff, TGen's physician-in-chief will guide COTI-2's development.

"I am very hopeful that COTI-2 will have a therapeutic impact in patients with tumours that are non-responsive to conventional therapeutic agents across a number of cancer indications," he said.

Researchers hope to demonstrate that this oral pill will be especially beneficial for patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), endometrial cancer and ovarian cancer, but may also help treat those with colorectal and pancreatic cancers.