Targets Disease Gene

06 Jul 2006

University of New South Wales (UNSW) researchers have announced they are developing a new class of experimental drug that has the potential to treat a diverse range of health problems, from inflammation and cancer through to eye and heart disease. The research is published in the July issue of Nature Biotechnology.

Certain types of skin cancers and blindness due to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic retinopathy are likely to be among the first uses for the drug. AMD is the most common cause of blindness in Australia (Macular Degeneration Foundation).

The experimental drug has already been shown to be effective on skin cancers in pre-clinical models, in another paper published this month by Professor Khachigian's team in the journal, Oncogene.