Domestic Cancer Drug in Development: Clinical Trials Underway in Kazakhstan

Clinical trials of a domestically developed cancer drug are currently underway in Kazakhstan, Orda.kz reports. The head of the Kazakh Research Institute of Oncology and Radiology, Yerbol Bekmukhambetov, spoke about the progress of the project.

The drug is undergoing trials at several locations simultaneously.

The drug is also being tested both at the Institute of Oncology and at the National Scientific Oncology Center (NSOC). It is intended for patients who have exhausted all modern chemotherapy options. Even though their treatment regimens have been changed multiple times, the illness continues to progress. These clinical trials are still ongoing,Yerbol Bekmukhambetov said at a press conference hosted by the Central Communications Service. 

The trials involve patients with stage IV cancer, for whom standard treatments are no longer effective. Earlier, the Minister of Science and Higher Education, Sayasat Nurbek, announced that drug registration is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Phase II clinical trials are still in progress. At this stage, the optimal dosage of the active substance is being determined to maximize effectiveness and minimize side effects. Once the trials are complete, the registration process will begin.

When asked about the drug’s effectiveness, the head of the institute responded:

Doctors are very cautious when it comes to these matters. The drug is being tested on patients who have already exhausted all chemo-targeted therapy options. These are stage IV patients. Any stabilization of the condition is already a positive result for us. Once we have the complete clinical data, we will definitely report on it in detail. This phase of testing will certainly be completed by the end of the year, after which the results will be shared. 

Approximately two billion tenge have been allocated for the clinical trials.

Original Author: Zhadra Zhulmukhametova