Promising anti-cancer drugs head to the clinic
Novogen Ltd (ASX:NRT) is developing two groups of anti-cancer compounds that have shown a great deal of promise in preclinical studies. Its super-benzopyran drugs are highly potent against cancer stem cells that are resistant to standard chemotherapy drugs, both in vitro and in animal models. Its lead anti-tropomyosin drug, Anisina, shows strong synergy with standard-ofcare anti-mitotic vinca alkaloid drugs. The company is well funded, having raised ~A$35m in the past two months, and is on track to have its three lead anti-cancer drugs in clinical trials by mid-2016. Its base case valuation is A$159m, or A$0.38 per share (undiluted), equivalent to US$7.30 per ADR.
Super-benzopyrans: Killing cancer stem cells
Novogen has developed a new class of drugs that it terms super-benzopyrans. These have shown high potency against cells from a wide range of cancers and have outperformed currently-marketed drugs and drugs in development by big pharma in an ovarian cancer stem cell animal model developed by Yale University. Lead super-benzopyran drug Cantrixil will enter clinical trials in late-stage cancer patients with malignant ascites in late 2015/early 2016, followed by Trilexium in solid tumours in mid-2016. Trilexium shows particular potency in preclinical models of prostate cancer, melanoma and brain cancer.
Anti-tropomyosins: Synergy with anti-mitotics
Novogen will also enter the clinic in 2016 with anti-tropomyosin (ATM) drug Anisina. ATMs target micro filaments, one of the two main components of the cell cytoskeleton. ATMs combine synergistically with anti-mitotic drugs that target microtubules – the other major component of the cell cytoskeleton. Combining Anisina with the anti-mitotic vinca alkaloid vincristine increased the potency of vincristine 20-fold. Anisina will initially focus on melanoma, prostate cancer and neuroblastoma.