Lonza scoops contract to manufacture ovarian drug candidate for Oasmia

The CDMO will produce drug substance for clinical supply at its HPAPI manufacturing site in Nansha, China

The manufacture of Cantrixil ― an intraperitoneally administered drug in development for the treatment of late-stage ovarian cancer ― is planned to be performed in three steps, the first of which is this agreement. 

According to Kai Wilkinson, Chief Technical Officer at Oasmia, this first step of securing clinical drug supply for its development is the "most crucial". The collaboration means Oasmia will be able to tap into Lonza's experience and expertise in manufacturing HPAPIs. 

The two companies expect to take Cantrixil through the planned Phase II clinical trial, the beginning of which Oasmia is already preparing. 

Last year, Oasmia licensed Cantrixil from the Australian pharmaceutical company Kazia after it successfully completed a Phase I clinical trial, having demonstrated its potential to provide prolonged survival in advanced ovarian cancer by inducing the death of ovarian cancer stem cells and sensitising cancer cells to standard chemotherapy. 

Lonza is due to start providing kilogram-scale synthesis, purification and stability testing of Cantrixil, and deliver cGMP batches of drug substance for clinical supply from its recently expanded production facility at Nansha, China by the end of this month.