Midatech to investigate brain cancer compound after inking licence deal with Novartis

Drug developer Midatech Pharma PLC (LON:MTPH NASDAQ:MTP) has teamed up with Swiss pharmaceuticals giant Novartis to help it in its quest to identify new brain cancer treatments.

Midatech has signed a global licensing agreement with Novartis for panobinostat that will allow the AIM-quoted firm to develop the oncology compound as a possible treatment for Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG).

DIPG is a currently incurable and very rare childhood brain cancer that is nearly always fatal, with a median survival time of just nine months.

In pre-clinical tests panobinostat demonstrated very high potency against DIPG tumour cell lines, and in one such study was shown to be the most effective of more than 80 anti-cancer agents tested.

As well as being used to treat DIPG, Midatech thinks the compound could also be used to treat patients with glioblastoma, another aggressive form of brain cancer.

“In line with our strategy to focus on oncology and expand our product mix, we are pleased that Novartis recognises our unique capability to use their product panobinostat alongside our technology to treat orphan cancers,” said Midatech chief executive Jim Philips.

“We look forward to driving it through development for treatment of DIPG, and make a real difference to the children suffering from this devastating and terminal disease.”

Continuation of MTX110 programme

Today’s licensing deal builds on work Midatech has already been carrying out in the brain cancer space, principally through its MTX110 programme.

Using a technique called convection enhanced delivery, MTX110 is infused directly into the brain tumour and diffuses through and around it.

Because it’s such a targeted form of treatment, higher drug concentrations can be delivered to the tumour without damaging nearby healthy tissue.

So far, five patients have been treated with MTX110 in the USA and UK under the compassionate use programme and it’s been well tolerated so far.

Midatech believes it holds promise as a possible therapeutic treatment for DIPG and clinical studies are slated to get underway later this year.

Story by ProactiveInvestors