Targeted treatment for pancreatic cancer nabs orphan drug status

By Ross Bonander, Mon, August 16, 2010

Biocancell Therapeutics has received word that its experimental targeted cancer treatment drug, currently known as BC-819 (DTA-H19 in clinical trials), has been granted orphan drug status by the US FDA.

The drug is said to target a gene (H19) that is overexpressed in a variety of cancer cells but is "nearly undetectable" in healthy cells. The consequence would be that BC-819 would therefore be effective at killing cancer cells while not doing harm to surrounding tissue.

BC-819 is in the early clinical trial phases in pancreatic, bladder and ovarian cancer. Read more about this drug at the company's website and see below for clinical trial information.

CANCER TYPE(S)
Pancreatic cancer, ovarian cancer, bladder cancer

TREATMENT TYPE(S)
Targeted therapy

By Ross Bonander

- Clinical Trial NCT00711997: DTA-H19 against pancreatic cancer
- Clinical Trial NCT00826150: DTA-H19 against ovarian cancer
- Clinical Trial NCT00595088: DTA-H19/PEI against bladder cancer

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