German pharmaceutical company Schering has announced that it is to begin tests to monitor the effects of combining a platinum-based cancer drug with its own drug, ZK-EPO.

It is to start a phase II clinical study to examine the effect of the combination of its drug with carboplatin on patients with recurrent ovarian cancer after treatment with platinum-based chemotherapy.

"Through the development of these broad and thorough Phase II clinical trials, Schering is committed to fully exploring the potential of ZK-EPO," said Peter Zundorf, head of Schering Group's oncology global business unit.

"Results to date lead us to believe that ZK-EPO has the potential to become an important treatment option for patients suffering from these devastating diseases."

The study will be conducted in up to 30 centres in the US and Canada.

Similar studies are already underway in Japan, with phase II trials being conducted in Germany, testing patients with small-cell lung cancer.

Ÿ Adfero Ltd