Demonstrating leadership in medical innovation, privately owned Biotechnology company BGM Pharma has entered into a landmark partnership with the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (NECSA) and the University of Cape Town (UCT), to bring GluCAB^TM, a new theranostic, to market. A first for South Africa, the deal signifies a breakthrough in cancer diagnosis and treatment, while proving that collaboration between the Government and the private sector is not only possible, but can deliver positive results.

Speaking about the deal, which is estimated to be around R600m in clinical trials and development costs, co-founder and President of BGM Pharma, Martin Magwaza, says that medical innovation is alive and well in South Africa, adding that to take a molecule from doctoral thesis to clinical testing for the global market is a huge milestone for the country and indeed the local healthcare market.

“Although we are a few years from market readiness, the initiation of clinical studies for a local technology is a significant development and represents progress in an area of healthcare that remains a major threat to people throughout the world,” says Magwaza.

As the second leading cause of death globally, cancer was responsible for 8.8 million deaths in 2015, and approximately 70% of deaths from cancer occur in low- and middle-income countries; 41,647 deaths were reported in South Africa in 2014. The global burden of cancer will grow by 70% over the next two decades, the WHO predicts, with an estimated 22 million new cases and 13 million deaths each year by 2032. 

“The disease burden of cancer is a resource drain on our healthcare system, and there is a massive need for new and lifesaving medical interventions. Theranostics like GluCAB are the new frontier when it comes to the treatment of an illness that continues to ravage vast populations of people globally,” says Magwaza.   

The term “theranostics” was coined to define an agent used for diagnosis via imaging followed by therapy, and according to Magwaza, it’s fast becoming the norm in personalised medicine.

NECSA Executive Manager, New Business Development, Brian Mphahlele says, “In recent years cancer research has started to focus on imaging and radiotherapeutic methods with high levels of specificity and sensitivity. In other words methods that detect relatively small tumours and selectively target tumours with minimal side effects or damage to healthy cells. It can be asserted without exaggeration that BGM, UCT and NECSA are collaborating with an express intention to address big and growing global health challenges.”

Adding to this, Mphahlele says, “The GluCAB compound currently being developed by NECSA and UCT that will be brought to market by BGM, is set to significantly increase the market share of this class of medical treatment: therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals. The intellectual property has been protected by NECSA and UCT with a contribution from the Department of Science and Technology’s National IP Management Office.

“The advantages of the new compound over conventional cancer diagnostics and therapeutic procedures are many and include improved diagnosis and treatment, reduced patient recovery time, increased survival rates, and significantly lower pharmacological toxicity and side effects. This will not only have an impact on individual cancer patients and their families, but it promises to become a socio-economic driver in healthcare systems around the globe,” says Mphahlele. 

UCT Deputy Vice Chancellor, Prof Mamokgethi Phakeng, says, “It is exciting to see UCT research being matured through the various development phases in partnership with industry and ultimately making an impact on society. The Faculty of Health Sciences plays a vital role in responding to South African problems in the context of African and global health challenges by supporting training and research.” 

Initially the new theranostic will be used to seek, identify and treat solid mass tumours such as those found in breast and ovarian cancer.

About BGM Pharma
BGM Pharma is a privately owned Biotechnology company in SA and since has specialised in developing and partnering speciality pharmaceutical medical devices, food supplements and cosmetics. BGM recognises the need for the development of new therapies, as well as improvement of existing therapies and is committed to investing significantly into various research programmes that will empower future generations.

About Necsa
Nuclear technology plays a fundamental role in day-to-day life. Applications such as medical isotopes, used in cancer treatment, and fluorochemicals, used in petroleum manufacturing and in items such as LCD screens and cellphones, enhance more than 10 million lives every year. Necsa is at the forefront of nuclear energy and radiation science research and development (R&D) on the African continent. NTP Radioisotopes SOC Ltd, a Necsa subsidiary, is one of the top three producers of nuclear medicine in the world, while Pelchem SOC Ltd, another Necsa subsidiary, is the only fluorochemical production, sales and distribution company in the southern hemisphere. The Radiochemistry Group at Necsa performs research and development in all fields of radiochemistry and radiopharmaceuticals. This includes, amongst others, the labelling of new identified pharmaceutical compounds for preclinical or clinical studies to determine the in vivo biodistribution and the development of new radiopharmaceutical agents for diagnostic imaging and the therapeutic treatment of malignant tumours.

About the University of Cape Town
Founded in 1829, UCT has a proud tradition of academic excellence and is consistently ranked as the leading university in Africa (QS, THE). UCT has 28,000 students, a third of whom are postgraduates and a fifth from other countries. UCT aims to be the premier academic meeting point between Africa and the rest of the world. The university’s expertise in and commitment to developing African-centred knowledge attracts staff and students from over 100 countries. UCT has built strong partnerships and exchange agreements with leading African and international institutions that further enrich the academic, social and cultural diversity of our campus. The university is a world leader in research into HIV and tuberculosis and actively explores ways in which the institution can contribute to a more equal and economically sustainable society in post-apartheid South Africa.