Lixte Biotech (OTC:LIXT): A Cancer Drug Discovery Spec Buy

Lixte is focused on securing a strategic partnership this year with an established pharmaceutical company to provide the necessary funding for these research initiatives since the Company does not currently generate revenue from its operations. The Company has made preliminary presentations to several large pharmaceutical companies for its lead compounds (in addition to chemical derivatives of these compounds), which have the effect of modifying critical pathways in both cancer cells and microorganisms such as fungi that appear to result in a protective effect on neural tissues such as the brain.

On 7/2/09, the Company announced that investigators of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI), National Institutes of Health (NIH), and Lixte reported that its novel compound (LB-1.2) enhances the effectiveness of two standard chemotherapy drugs in mouse models of human cancers. This research is being conducted under a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement between NINDS and Lixte. The report was published online in the early edition (June 29) of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science (US). The print version will appear on 7/14/09.

Dr. John S. Kovach , President and CEO of Lixte, said "LB-1.2 exerts anti-cancer activity directly on the cancer cell and, more dramatically, by preventing cancer cells from recovering from DNA-damage produced by standard anti-cancer drugs. In mouse models, LB-1.2 plus Temozolomide caused complete regression without recurrence in 50 % of animals bearing tumors of human glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the most common and aggressive brain tumor of adults, and also, marked regression of neuroblastoma, the most common cancer of children. Temozolomide, the standard drug for the treatment of patients with GBM, by itself caused regression but with recurrence of all tumors."

Dr. Kovach added "that, since LB-1.2 has a biochemical action similar to an older drug used for anticancer treatment for many years in China, we are cautiously optimistic that LB-1.2 will be well tolerated by cancer patients and hopefully, will potentially be as effective as it is in animal models of human cancer. We believe that adding LB-1.2 may be a general method for improving the effectiveness of several standard anticancer drugs not only against tumors of the brain and neural tissue but also against other cancers sensitive to drugs that work by damaging DNA. Safety, of course, must be demonstrated first in animal studies and subsequently in Phase I clinical trials before evaluation of therapeutic effectiveness can be assessed against different cancer types in patients."

The following are free links and resources for more information on Lixte, which is also a component in my 42-stock Cancer Diagnostic & Therapeutic Micro-Cap Index. Pro-Active Capital also offers a free and easy registration process at this link for access to the Company's entire research report library. (1) BioMedReports.com Stock Profile Report for Lixte, (2) Pro-Active Global Media Landing Page for Lixte, and (3) BioMedReports.com Coverage of Lixte.

Disclosure: No positions.