MALVERN's pSiMedica, based on the town's science park, has joined forces with partners from Singapore and formed pSiOncology to develop a radical way of treating cancer.
The new company will explore the use of a substance called BioSilicon in cancer therapy.
BioSilicon was discovered in Malvern by QinetiQ professor Leigh Canham, who went on to become pSiMedica's chief scientific officer. The aim is to use BioSilicon to deliver drugs or radiation therapy directly into cancerous tumours, thus minimising side-effects to the patient such as sickness and nausea.
Dr Roger Aston, of pSiMedica, who now becomes pSiOncology's chief executive, said: "BioSilicon offers enormous commercial potential and we expect this application of the technology to progress rapidly to the clinic and successful commercialisation."
The firm estimates the world market for this type of therapy could be as much as $1 billion over the next five years.
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