Anaeropharma, Chugai come together to create Novel Oncology Drugs

Anaeropharma Science and Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. headquartered in Tokyo have concluded a collaborative research agreement concerning the creation of novel oncology drugs utilizing characteristic features of Bifidobacterium longum through Anaeropharma's proprietary platform technology, "in situ Delivery and Production System" (i-DPS).

Under the agreement, Anaeropharma and Chugai conduct joint research regarding specific oncology substances by use of Anaeropharma's i-DPS technology and Chugai's technology. 

The scope of the agreement is limited to the specific substances predetermined by both companies, and the i-DPS technology will be applied only to those substances.

Bifidobacterium is obligatory anaerobe which exists as enteroflora in the human body, and known as nonpathogenic bacteria. Solid cancers have immature vascular constructs and their interstitial tumors are in the state of hypoxia. The company aims to leverage the recombinant Bifidobacterium technology to create a new class of anti-cancer drugs. The technology offers broad potential of being more effective to solid tumors and generates oncology drugs with less risks of adverse events than conventional anti-cancer drugs.

The leading product developed using i-DPS technology, APS001F, a recombinant Bifidobacterium to express Cytosine Deaminase which converts a prodrug, 5-FC, to an anti-cancer drug, 5-FU, is under a phase 1 clinical trial in the U.S.

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