China has greenlit the first clinical trial of its homegrown cancer-fighting drug.

 

The injectable borofalan (10B), developed by CNNC Headway—a subsidiary of China Isotope & Radiation Corporation (CIRC) under the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC)—has officially entered Phase I clinical trials after receiving the "Drug Clinical Trial Approval Notice" from National Medical Products Administration (NMPA).

 

On January 9, the collaborative clinical project for the Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT) drug-device combination was launched by CNNC Headway, Lanzhou University, Fujian RAYSCO Medical Technology Co Ltd, and Fujian Medical University Union Hospital.

 

BNCT is a cutting-edge radiotherapy that precisely targets cancer cells. It works by exploiting the specific affinity of boron-10 compounds for tumors. Once the drug accumulates in the tumor, neutron beam irradiation triggers a boron neutron capture nuclear reaction, destroying cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. BNCT has emerged as “a highly promising frontier direction in the field of tumor therapy.”

 

The project highlights the power of collaboration between industry and government, academia, and research institutions. 

 

“It leverages the core advantages of all parties in the BNCT field to form a powerful synergy,” according to CNNC Headway. With deep expertise in nuclear medicine, the company’s approved borofalan (10B) will “provide the core boron drug for the BNCT treatment system, accelerating the industrial application of BNCT.”