Starpharma - DEP® irinotecan (Phase 2)

DEP® irinotecan is an improved version of irinotecan (Camptosar®), predominantly used for colorectal cancer. DEP® irinotecan is a novel, patented nanoparticle formulation of SN-38, the active metabolite of irinotecan, delivered using Starpharma’s proprietary DEP® technology. Irinotecan (Camptosar®) is a major cancer drug used to treat colorectal cancer with peak global sales of >US$1.1 billion despite having multiple US FDA “Black Box” warnings. Irinotecan is a pro-drug that requires conversion to its active metabolite, SN38. The need for this conversion may lead to variable clinical effect/efficacy and toxicity among patients. DEP® solubilises SN38 and allows direct dosing, avoiding the need for liver conversion. DEP® irinotecan has been shown to demonstrate improved efficacy in multiple animal models and has patent filings to 2039 (plus up to an additional ~5 years).