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news.Results of a new study conducted show that Marshall Edwards's investigational drug phenoxodiol, currently being developed as a therapy for late-stage chemo-resistant prostate, ovarian and cervical cancers, may also have the potential to be use used in conjunction with cisplatin chemotherapy to prevent induction of platinum-induced neuropathy.
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The new study examined whether phenoxodiol could protect against cisplatin-induced neurite inhibition in PC12 cells as an indication of the potential to protect against neuropathy. In the study, the effect of phenoxodiol on cisplatin induced neurite toxicity was assessed by measurement of neurite outgrowth. According to Marshall Edwards, results show that the addition of phenoxodiol showed no cytotoxicity at low doses and blocked the cisplatin induced neurite toxicity.
The study concluded that successful prophylactic treatment of cisplatin induced neuropathy with phenoxodiol could allow more intensive, and hence more effective, cisplatin therapy. Overall, given the dose- and treatment-limiting neuropathic side effects of cisplatin, and the lack of any currently available prophylactic treatment or cure, the study also concluded that phenoxodiol is a promising candidate that warrants further testing.
“Historical data demonstrates that phenoxodiol has the ability to overcome drug resistance in cancer cells,” said Dr Ann Turnley, associate director of the Center for Neuroscience at the University of Melbourne. “This study indicates that phenoxodiol has the potential to protect normal cells from the toxic effects of chemotherapy and may help in reducing some of the side effects.”