Combination therapy shows promising results

Australian biotechnology company Bionomics says that advanced animal testing of a combination of its major anticancer compound BNC105 and blockbuster drug Avastin showed impressive results.

Together the combination therapy was effective in fighting six major types of cancer: prostate, breast, lung, brain, neck and colon. When used singly, BNC105 had a dual action significantly disrupting blood vessels feeding tumours and persisting inside tumours where it had a directly toxic effect, the company said. The combination therapy was even more effective, extending tumour vessel shutdown from at least 24 hours to five days.

"The findings suggested BNC105 could cause almost complete disruption of tumour blood vessels in six different types of cancer and that our drug may have therapeutic benefit in many different types of cancer," said Bionomics cancer research director Dr Tina Lavranos.

BNC105 is in clinical trials for patients with advanced cancer at three Melbourne hospitals.