Preliminary results from two trials suggest that patients with damaged liver and kidney functions can be treated with the platinum-based cancer drug satraplatin.

GPC Biotech said that the drug had been "well tolerated" by the 19 patients with damaged livers and 24 patients with impaired kidney functions who made up the phase 1 studies.

Side effects produced by each of the treatments were also found to be mild, according to the preliminary results.

Satraplatin, which is taken orally, has been the subject of a number of clinical trials, including phase 3 trials for the treatment of hormone-refractory prostate cancer, ovarian cancer and small cell lung cancer.

Other trials evaluating the effects of satraplatin in combination with radiation therapy, in combination with other cancer therapies and in various other cancers are underway or planned, GPC Biotech said.

As patients with advanced cancer may often have limited function of the liver and kidneys, the study into whether satraplatin can be used in the treatment of these sufferers is potentially very important.

The results of these two studies should help doctors to calculate the correct dosage of satraplatin in cancer patients whose liver or kidney functions have been damaged.

Ÿ Adfero Ltd