Apaziquone shows promise as invasive bladder cancer drug

US specialty drugmaker Spectrum Pharma says that data from a study of its anti-cancer agent EOquin (apaziquone , EO9) suggests that the compound may have potential as a treatment for invasive bladder cancer.

The results, which were presented at the 97th annual meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research in Washington DC earlier this month, showed that invasive bladder cancer tumor cells have lower levels of the biomarker NQO1, while the concentration of another marker, Glut-1, which indicates hypoxia, are elevated. Tumors growing in hypoxic conditions are resistant to X-ray-based therapy.

The firm asserts that, since EO9 can be activated in hypoxic or oxygenated tumor cells, the compound has potential for the selective treatment of bladder cancer in combination with radiotherapy.