The Animal Referral Hospital in Sinnamon Park joins four other vet clinics in a trial for a canine anti-cancer drug that could be given orally to pet dogs diagnosed with B cell lymphoma that have yet to undergo any cancer treatment.
PharmaAust, a Perth biotech company, has developed an anti-cancer drug monepantel (MPL) and the trial is now on Phase IIb. The aim of this trial is to determine the optimal prescribed doses that would guarantee a successful treatment.
It comes after Phase IIa showed tumor regression and disease stabilisation among the participating pets. According to chief scientific officer Dr Richard Mollard, six of the seven dogs in Phase IIa had favourable outcomes with a smaller tumor after taking the drug for 14 days.
PharmaAust said that several pet owners have signed up for the trial happening across veterinary clinics like Animal Referral Hospital in Homebush (Sydney), Western Australian Veterinary Emergency and Speciality in Success (Perth), Perth Veterinary Specialists in Osborne Park (Perth) and the Veterinary Specialist Services in Underwood (Brisbane), aside from the Sinnamon Park facility.
The company is also opening two more sites in Melbourne and Sydney.
There is no cure for B cell lymphoma and half of the dogs diagnosed with this disease may survive without treatment for 30 days. The other half, however, could experience their disease progressing particularly fast. Right now, chemotherapy is the only best treatment management but it could result in adverse effects and won’t guarantee a relapse.
If Phase IIb succeeds, PharmaAust plans to conduct Phase III with a larger number of participants that will have to be screened before joining the trials.
PharmAust is currently recruiting dogs with B cell lymphoma for a Phase IIb clinical trial with a non-toxic anti cancer drug
— PharmAust (@PharmAust) February 25, 2021
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Eventually, PharmaAust hopes that their medication may be a treatment option for pet owners with dogs with cancer.