Anti-Cancer Innovations Advance Health and Commercial Value

Team  Prof. Thomas LEUNG  Prof. Larry CHOW

Department of Life Sciences

Interdisciplinary research has focused on designing new cancer drugs through increasing the efficacy of natural compounds and proteins. It has led to the development of four new anti-cancer drugs which four international pharmaceutical companies have invested in developing these drugs since 2013 creating around 30 new jobs while supporting many more.

One drug has been licensed for US$5 million. An estimated US$42.5 million has been invested in Phase I and Phase II clinical trials involving 160 participants during this RAE period. A trial with 15 liver cancer patients saw statistically significantly improved life expectancy. One melanoma patient entered remission and has been cancer-free for 30 months. Our first-in-class human arginase has prompted others to develop competitor drugs, with one in Phase III trials after an estimated US$78 million investment.

Another PolyU drug candidate, flavonoid, greatly increases drug efficacy by modulating drug chemosensitivity and retention in multidrug resistance. It has also received IND approval from the U.S. FDA, and a Phase I clinical trial has been conducted by our partner with an investment of around US$4.5 million.
 

RAE 2020 Impact Case Study