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An Indian spice used in curry might help prevent and treat bowel cancer, British biotechnology firm Phytopharm Plc. said Monday.
Richard Dixey, chief executive of the company which specializes in developing medicines from plants, said turmeric-based food supplement pills against the disease could go on sale later this year, initially in the United States.
Phytopharm's P54 product works by inhibiting the production of an enzyme, cyclo-oxygenase 2 (COX-2), involved in inflammation and certain cancers.
It was tested on 15 patients suffering from advanced colorectal cancer in a dose escalation trial carried out in conjunction with the University of Leicester.
"The results of this trial appear to confirm that P54 is able to inhibit COX-2 and may have a role in both the prevention of colon cancer and, possibly, could form part of a treatment regimen for established disease," said lead investigator School Professor Will Steward from the University of Leicester.
Phytopharm's shares rose 1.5 percent to 881-1/2 pence by 1200 GMT following the announcement, just short of their record 887p reached last week.
Dixey told Reuters he was discussing commercialization of P54 for the prevention of bowel cancer with three companies, with the aim of developing a natural product for sale as a health food. "Our view is that it is probably more appropriate as a nutriceutical or medicinal food market than as a prescription drug," he said.
Phytopharm believes its curry cancer pills could retail for around $1 a day, targeting a global market of around 10 million people who have colonic polyps, small growths that may presage bowel cancer.
Dixey said eating a diet high in
turmeric would not have the same beneficial effects as taking the pills
since the dried cooking spice lacked the vital volatile oils which gave
P54 most of its potency. Phytopharm is also developing P54 as a prescription
drug for inflammatory bowel disease and as a veterinary product for arthritis
in dogs.
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