Victoria University makes cancer breakthrough

A potential anti-cancer agent discovered by Victoria University scientists could form the next generation of a cancer drug worth US$2 billion ($2.76 billion) a year in sales.

The anti-cancer agent, named Peloruside, was discovered in a marine sponge living in New Zealand's Pelorus Sound by Victoria University senior lecturer Dr Peter Northcote and colleagues at the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (Niwa).

It will now be developed in association with the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre at Dallas and Dallas-based biopharmaceutical company Reata Pharmaceuticals Inc after a licence agreement was signed.

Despite its potential, the Dean of Science at Victoria, Professor David Bibby, warned any movement of Peloruside into anti-cancer drugs would be years down the track.

"The lead time for the development of any potential drug, from its initial discovery to the primary research and then on to clinical trials and approval for use, is always lengthy, often up to 15 years," he said in a statement.

"Peloruside is not even a quarter of the way down that track but our researchers remain optimistic that it will go the full course."

Until now, Peloruside has been developed in collaboration with scientists in the schools of chemical and physical sciences and biological sciences at Victoria University, the Malaghan Institute of Medical Research in Wellington and the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre.

Dr Northcote said Peloruside shares a "molecular target" with Taxol, a cancer therapy agent developed for use against ovarian and breast cancer.

He said the pharmaceutical industry was searching for a replacement for Taxol with improved properties.

Taxol's sales are worth more than US$2 billion a year.

President and chief executive of Reata Warren Huff also welcomed the agreement.

"Microtubule-stabilising agents are among the most important drugs available for the treatment of cancer and the development of useful new agents in this class is an important goal to increase therapy options for cancer patients.

"We are pleased to be collaborating with UT Southwestern and Victoria University in the further development of these promising drugs."

- NZPA