Drug Found Effective for Treating Ovarian Cancer

An experimental, synthetic anti-cancer drug has been found in laboratory studies to induce cell death in 100% of ovarian cancer cells, including those resistant to conventional agents such as paclitaxel and carboplatin. These results were reported in the May 1 issue of Oncogene.

The drug, called phenoxodiol, causes cell death in primary ovarian cancer cells by inducing apoptosis and restores the sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells to "Fas-mediated” apoptosis, one of the main death receptors for cancer cells that is otherwise turned off in ovarian cancer cells. A phase 1 trial showed few, if any, side effects. Preliminary results of a trial conducted at the Cleveland Clinic (OH, USA) showed that more than half of the 10 patients tested on the drug showed some response. Each patient had a different type of advanced cancer that did not respond to chemotherapy.

"Phenoxodiol may unlock a mystery that has been plaguing cancer researchers: how to get a cancer cell to die when it for some reason has been programmed to live,” said Gil Mor, M.D., associate professor, department of obstetrics and gynecology, Yale University School of Medicine (New Haven, USA). A phase II trial of phenoxodiol is now under way at Yale for women with chemo-resistant ovarian cancer. Phenoxodiol is manufactured by Novogen (North Ryde, Australia).




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ale University School of Medicine