Perth-based clinical-stage oncology company PharmAust (ASX:PAA) says it has received further positive results from its ongoing Phase 1 clinical trial program in healthy beagle dogs.
It said it will use the new data to prepare a trial design and commencement of its Phase 2 trial program in dogs with cancer.
"This latest trial tested safety and serum levels of monepantel and monepantel sulfone in the blood of healthy dogs administered either 1 or 5 tablets every day for 9 days," said the company.
"PharmAust has shown previously that both monepantel and its major metabolite, monepantel sulfone, provide anti-cancer activity. It is important to understand steady-state blood levels of both active molecules over long-term drug administration."
The company said one tablet daily provided long-term blood levels that exceed the target level. Five tablets daily tripled the target levels.
"No changes in any clinical signs were reported at either dosing level by the US-based independent research organisation conducting the study, with monepantel being well tolerated," it said.
According to PharmAust chief scientific officer Dr Richard Mollard, “Results from the Phase I tests continue to be very encouraging. With these new results PharmAust can assess several different clinical strategies to determine which best fits monepantel’s anti-cancer properties. One treatment strategy may offer low-dose maintenance therapy to keep problematic cancers under control while a second strategy would investigate short-term very high dose therapy aimed at eradicating other cancers.”