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In a prior Phase II clinical trial, phenoxodiol was tested in combination with either cisplatin or paclitaxel. Patients with late stage ovarian cancer that had become refractory to platinum or paclitaxel therapy, following multiple courses of chemotherapy, were treated with phenoxodiol and cisplatin or phenoxodiol and paclitaxel, respectively. Of 21 patients in the cisplatin arm there were six partial responders, nine patients with stabilised disease and six patients who had disease progression; of 19 in the paclitaxel arm, there was one complete responder, two partial responders, eleven with stabilised disease and five patients who had disease progression. There were few side effects associated with phenoxodiol, but, as with any investigational drug, there is a possibility of unexpected side effects.

Professor Ignace Vergote, the Principal Investigator at the Leuven site was Chairman of the EORTC Gynaecologic Cancer Group from 1997 to 2003, and still chairs the Protocol Committee of that group. He is currently the President of the International Cancer Society and Immediate Past-President of the European Society of Gynaecologic Oncology.

Women who are interested in participating in the OVATURE trial, or who simply wish to learn more about this study, should visit http://www.OVATUREtrial.com or visit http://clinicaltrials.gov/ (type OVATURE in the search box).

About phenoxodiol: Phenoxodiol is being developed as a therapy for late- stage, chemo-resistant prostate, ovarian and cervical cancers. Phenoxodiol is an investigational drug and, as such, is not commercially available. It is a novel-acting drug that inhibits key pro-survival signalling pathways operating via sphingosine-1-phosphate and Akt. Inhibition of these pathways leads to prevention of phosphorylation of ke
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