NZ women trial locally-discovered cancer drug

New Zealand women are among 70 patients taking part in phase two clinical trials of a locally-discovered drug being developed to fight ovarian cancer.

The drug, DMXAA, was discovered in Auckland by Professor Bruce Baguley and Professor William Denny over a decade ago and disrupts the blood supply to tumours.

First-stage clinical trials in New Zealand and Britain have confirmed it reduces blood flow to tumours.

The ovarian cancer study involves half of the patients receiving standard chemotherapy -- carboplatin and paclitaxel -- while the other half receive the same treatment plus DMXAA.

- NZPA