Phynova Group plc, which develops pharmaceuticals derived from Chinese traditional medicines, signed an agreement with the Hong Kong Jockey Club Institute of Chinese Medicine (HKJCICM), covering the collaborative development of novel drugs for the treatment of cancer.
The candidate drugs are based on traditional medicines that have been used in the treatment of cancer in China. This is the first project in a relationship which the partners hope will lead to the development of a number of treatments
The HKJCICM is a government-owned research foundation which promotes the modernisation of traditional Chinese medicine. The institute has received funding of over GBP 33 million from the Hong Kong Jockey Club. It was set up to support the development of Chinese medicine as a high value-added industry in Hong Kong, supported by scientific and evidence-based development programmes.
Robert Miller Phynova’s CEO said, “We are very honoured to collaborate with the HKJCICM in this key programme. [This] is one of the premier research institutes in the field, and working with [the institute] on this prestigious project represents a very strong vote of confidence in Phynova’s capabilities in this field.”
A number of successful treatments for cancer have been derived from natural products and Miller said he believes many more remain to be discovered.
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