New cancer treatment
It will result in improved diagnosis and reduce recovery time
IN a landmark partnership, biotechnology company BGM Pharma, the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) and UCT have come together to bring a new theranostic which will initially be used to seek, identify and treat solid mass tumours such as those found in breast and ovarian cancer, to market.
A theranostic is an agent or molecule which has a combination of properties that allow it to diagnose and treat cancer. This theranostic is called GluCAB, which has a component that can pinpoint where the cancerous tissue is, with another component that radiates/kills the cancer.
A first for South Africa, the deal signifies a breakthrough in cancer diagnosis and treatment through collaboration between the government and the private sector.
UCT deputy vice-chancellor Professor Mamokgethi Phakeng said: “It is exciting to see UCT research being matured through the various development phases in partnership with industry, and ultimately making an impact on society.
“The faculty of health sciences plays a vital role in responding to South African problems in the context of African and global health challenges by supporting training and research,” he added.
An initial investment of R600 million will ensure that the research teams conduct the necessary clinical trials to prove safety and efficacy in a sufficient number of human subjects. More investment will be required to conduct multi-centre and multicountry clinical trials.
Co-founder and president of BGM Pharma Martin Magwaza, said medical innovation is alive and well in SA, and to take a molecule from a doctoral thesis to clinical testing for the global market is a huge milestone for the country and the local health care market.
“Although we are a few years from market readiness, the initiation of clinical studies for a local technology is a significant development and represents progress in an area of health care that remains a major threat to people throughout the world,” said Magwaza.
Mphahlele said the GluCAB compound currently being developed by Necsa and UCT is set to significantly increase the market share of this class of medical treatment: therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals.
“The advantages of the new compound over conventional cancer diagnostics and therapeutic procedures are many and include improved diagnosis and treatment, reduced patient recovery time, increased survival rates, and significantly lower pharmacological toxicity and side-effects.
“This will not only have an impact on individual cancer patients and their families, but it promises to become a socio-economic driver in health care systems around the globe,” said Mphahlele.