Japanese biopharmaceutical company Anaeropharma Science Inc announced on Monday a collaborative research agreement to leverage its recombinant Bifidobacterium technology to create a new class of anti-cancer drugs based on its proprietary platform technology "in situ Delivery and Production System" (hereinafter i-DPS) with Chugai Pharmaceutical Co Ltd.

According to the company, Bifidobacterium is obligatory anaerobe which exists as enteroflora in the human body and known as nonpathogenic bacteria. Solid cancers have immature vascular constructs and their interstitial tumours are in the state of hypoxia. The technology offers broad potential of being more effective to solid tumours and generates oncology drugs with less risks of adverse events than conventional anti-cancer drugs.

This partnership will conduct joint research regarding specific oncology substances through Anaeropharma's i-DPS technology and Chugai's technology. The scope of the agreement is limited to the specific substances predetermined by both companies and the i-DPS technology will be applied only to those substances.

Developed using the i-DPS technology, APS001F, a recombinant Bifidobacterium to express Cytosine Deaminase which converts a prodrug, 5-FC, to an anti-cancer drug, 5-FU, is under a phase 1 clinical trial in the US, added Anaeropharma.