AstraZeneca, Starpharma enter cancer drug deal

Singapore: Australia-based Starpharma has given global pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca the right to test certain proprietary Starpharma oncology molecules that are based on Starpharma's dendrimer technology.

Under the agreement AstraZeneca will undertake oncology studies using specific Starpharma drug-dendrimer conjugate molecules. The primary objective of the program is to assess the suitability of the dendrimer constructs for particular applications within the cancer field.

The identity of the anti-cancer molecules to be studied is covered by confidentiality restrictions, however, Starpharma notes that the arrangement does not relate to docetaxel or to dendrimer conjugates of docetaxel.