Nicholas starts trials of anti-cancer drug

Nicholas Piramal India today announced the commencement of Phase I/II clinical studies of its lead anti-cancer drug molecule.

According to a release issued by the company to the BSE today, a patient was recently infused, intravenously, P276-00 at an oncology centre in Canada after obtaining the necessary permissions from the Canadian regulatory authorities.

"It could take 9-12 months to enroll 30-35 patients to complete Phase I/II study that will help determine a safe and possible efficacious dose, which will be used for further clinical studies," the release added.

P276-00 is the first in a series of compounds from the company's research centre to enter into clinical trials, the release said.

"It is an inhibitor of a key protein that is required by the cells to divide. Cancerous cells have an unchecked growth pattern. Since P276-00 blocks a key enzyme at the entry stage, it prevents the cells from synthesising other ingredients that are required before they divide,  which forces the cells to embark on the path of programmed cell death.

"The selective nature of P276-00 is likely to make it much more tolerable than other drugs," the release added.

Based on the initial laboratory data, P276-00 appears suitable as an agent to treat lung, breast and colon cancers, the release said.