Popular vitamin used to keep skin clear and healthy may be key to CANCER treatment
- The Australian scientist has developed a new way to administer chemicals in vitamin E.
- The vitamin is associated with keeping skin and eyes healthy; strengthen immunity
- But one of the chemicals could help treat pancreatic cancer and liver disease
An Australian biotech entrepreneur has developed a new way to deliver powerful chemicals from vitamin E, which can be used as a treatment for pancreatic cancer and fatty liver disease.
The chemicals, known as tocotrienols (T3s), can be anti-inflammatory, prevent scarring and stop fat build-up.
T3s yielded excellent results in training when they were first tested on rats, but were found to be slightly less effective in human trials – until Dr. Glenn Tong realized that the rats were getting a better dose because they chewed the drug before taking it.
“It’s a very direct way to deliver your medicine – it goes straight into your bloodstream without going through your intestines and liver first,” he told AAP.
‘The potential is enormous.’
Dr. Tong decided to try the same in humans by developing a way to administer T3s under the tongue.
An Australian biotech entrepreneur has developed a new way to provide powerful chemicals found in vitamin E, known for keeping skin and eyes healthy
His company, Azure Health Technology, has now acquired patents for the delivery technology in key markets including the US, EU, Japan and China.
It is also about to begin phase two clinical trials with T3s delivered under the tongue to patients with fatty liver and pancreatic cancer.
“No one else has ever done this with T3s before,” said Dr. Tong.
There is no treatment for fatty liver disease, while currently approved treatments for pancreatic cancer do not provide much improvement in the patient’s quality of life or lifespan.
Results are expected within two years, while the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has indicated its willingness to accelerate the approval of T3 drugs for these diseases.
Dr. Tong says T3s can target cancer cells by triggering cell cycle death and preventing the metastasis that can lead to cancer spreading throughout the body.
The company has raised $ 2.25 million to partially fund the two trials through an IPO and plans to list on the ASX later this month.
Dr. Tong says if everything goes according to plan, the drugs could be on the market in three to four years.