Shares in drug developer Novogen have soared as studies indicate one of its treatments may improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy in children.
A preliminary study of the drug Anisina showed it helped reduce tumour growth in mice with neuroblastoma, a rare type of cancer that develops in young children.
The drug also helped make the tumours regress.
The encouraging results represent a milestone in the development of Anisina as a combination therapy for the treatment of the cancer, said Novogen's anti-tropomyosin program director, Justine Stehn.
Studies are now underway to validate the drug's use in the treatment of adult cancer, and the company plans to have the first studies using humans underway by mid-2016, Dr Stehn said.
Novogen shares gained up to 13 per cent on the news, and closed 1.5 cents higher, up 6.4 per cent, at 25 cents, their highest level in a month.
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