MBS's rimcazole enters Ph Ia testing

London, UK-based drug development firm Modern Biosciences has initiated dosing of a Phase Ia clinical trial of rimcazole, a novel anticancer agent. The sigma receptor ligand has shown significant activity in preclinical models of cancer, including breast, lung and prostate cancers, the firm noted.

Exclusive worldwide rights to develop and market rimcazole for the treatment of cancer were licensed to MBS by Scotland's University of Dundee in August 2007. The Phase Ia trial will include 12 healthy volunteers and will examine safety and pharmacokinetics. Results are expected in the second half of the year. A Phase Ib trial designed to yield proof-of-principle data is expected to start in early 2009.

Sam Williams, chief executive of MBS, said: "the fact that we have moved rimcazole into the clinic just eight months after licensing the program from the University of Dundee is evidence of MBS' ability to identify viable drug development programs from UK academia and to advance these towards proof-of-principle studies in a timely and cost-effective manner. We and the University of Dundee look forward to the results from the current Phase Ia trial later this year and the initiation of Phase Ib."