Theralase Lead Anti-Cancer Drug Effective in the Destruction of Throat Cancer
Toronto, Ontario (FSCwire) - Theralase Technologies Inc. (“Theralase®” or the “Company”) (TSXV: TLT) (OTCQX: TLTFF), a leading biotech company focused on the commercialization of medical lasers to eliminate pain and the development of Photo Dynamic Compounds (“PDCs”) to destroy cancer, announced today that its patented, lead anti-cancer drug, TLD-1433, has been proven effective in the destruction of a human pharyngeal carcinoma cell line, FaDu.
In 2016, according to the American Society of Clinical Oncology (“ASCO”), an estimated 49,670 adults (35,720 men and 13,950 women) in the United States will be diagnosed with oral and oropharyngeal cancer. Rates of these cancers are more than twice as high in men, as in women. Cancer of the oral cavity is the ninth most common cancer among men. The average age of diagnosis is 62.
The overall 5-year survival rate for people with oral or oropharyngeal cancer is 64%.
It is estimated that 9,700 deaths (7,000 men and 2,700 women) from these 2 diseases will occur this year.
In research conducted by Pavel Kaspler, Ph.D., Research Scientist, Theralase, under the direction of Arkady Mandel, MD, Ph.D., D.Sc., Chief Scientific Officer, Theralase, it has been demonstrated that a human pharyngeal carcinoma cell line (FaDu) was 98% destroyed, at an extremely low dose of TLD-1433 (0.2 micromolar), when activated by green laser light (530 nm, 90 J/cm2) and 98% destroyed, at a low dose of TLD-1433 (25 micromolar), when activated by red laser light (625 nm, 90 J/cm2).
The ability to activate TLD-1433 at both green and red laser wavelengths allows the PDC to be activated at various tissue depths corresponding to the progression of the disease.
The dark toxicity (TLD-1433, but no laser light applied) was virtually negligible, when activated by green laser light, and low, when activated by red laser light, supporting a high safety margin in the destruction of human pharyngeal carcinoma cells.
Dr. Kaspler stated that, “The research data strongly supports that TLD-1433 would be effective in the destruction of human pharyngeal carcinoma cells with a high safety margin. I look forward to continuing my research in this promising new cancer indication.”
Dr. Mandel stated that, “TLD-1433 continues to advance in the destruction of new oncology targets, demonstrating high efficacy in the destruction of numerous cancers preclinically. We have strong preclinical data supporting the use of Rutherrin® (TLD-1433 + transferrin) in the destruction of glioblastoma brain cancer and lung cancer and now TLD-1433 on its own in the destruction of cervical and pharyngeal cancer.”
Roger Dumoulin-White, President and CEO of Theralase stated that, “The Theralase licenced PDCs have proven to be very strong anti-cancer drugs in initial clinical studies for NMIBC and preclinically for glioblastoma, lung, cervical and now pharyngeal cancer. We look forward to successfully expanding the clinical application of our platform of PDCs, and the laser light systems that activate them, through Phase Ib clinical studies, as we expand into these new oncological targets.”
