Faculty, student develop new ovarian cancer treatment
Biodegradable implant system one step to closer to clinical trials

Jan 26/07
by Maria Saros Leung
A collaborative effort between researchers at the Leslie Dan Faculty of Pharmacy has resulted in an advanced drug delivery system for the treatment of ovarian cancer. PoLi, developed by Professors Micheline Piquette-Miller and Christine Allen, is a surgical implant that effectively kills cancer cells while minimizing the side effects of chemotherapy.

Ovarian cancer patients normally undergo two procedures: surgery to remove the tumour and chemotherapy to destroy any remaining cancer cells. The chemical vehicle used to intravenously transport anti-cancer drugs such as paclitaxel during chemotherapy can often cause serious side effects, including hypersensitivity and nervous system disorders.