Medical Marketing International (MMI), the Cambridge-based research company, has received a £500,000 funding injection to continue its work in the development of ruthenium anti-cancer compounds.

The grant from the Scottish Enterprise co-investment fund will support MMI's cancer therapy subsidiary, Oncosense, which is principally based at Edinburgh University.

Andrea Young, of the Scottish Enterprise co-investment fund, told the Scotsman that the funding would speed up the development of the important cancer treatment.

While platinum-based therapies are already used to treat ovarian, lung and skin cancers through chemotherapy, ruthenium treatments are less toxic and would therefore hold a number of advantages over platinum compounds.

"The funding from the Scottish co-investment fund provides an important injection of additional capital to help accelerate the development of Oncosense and in particular ruthenium," MMI executive chairman David Best stated.

"The technical progress we have achieved thus far, together with recent patent grants, funding and support of the world-renowned team within Edinburgh University again endorses the considerable potential of this therapy in the longer term."

MMI has secured formal European and US approval for the patent of the ruthenium anti-cancer treatment.