A Scottish pharmaceuticals firm hopes to be able to develop a pioneering treatment for pancreatic cancer after signing deals that will allow it to combine the technologies developed by two world-leading research institutions.

EctoPharma believes it will be able to achieve a feat that has defeated some of the world’s best pharmaceutical brains with a drug that should boost the body’s ability to fight the cancer.

“The way is now open for us to accelerate the development programme of a product which could transform the lives of millions of cancer patients around the world,” said Alan Walker, the pharmaceutical industry veteran who is chief executive of Selkirk-based EctoPharma.

Noting that only 13% of people with cancer of the pancreas survive more than one year, Walker said the illness did not respond to treatments like chemotherapy. These can help cure other cancers by encouraging the production of a

protein that lets the body kill cancerous cells.

Walker, a former commercial director of Borders-based Prostrakan, believes EctoPharma can solve the problem using the technology from the School of Pharmacy as a “torpedo” and equipping it with a “warhead” developed by MRC.

The deal with MRC allows EctoPharma to use gene technology which regulates levels of the p73 protein. EctoPharma says this plays a key role in increasing the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy.

The School of Pharmacy is allowing EctoPharma to use nano-technology it has developed that could be used to deliver genes direct to cancer cells.

“Early studies have shown that cancer cells are up to 400% more sensitive to chemotherapy when treated in this way,” said Walker.

By building on existing technologies Walker is confident EctoPharma should be able to complete the testing and regulatory approval process quickly.

The company hopes to be able to be conducting studies ‘in man’ during 2011 and has a product ready for launch in 2014. It expects to be able to agree a deal under which a big pharmaceutical company would manufacture and market the product.

As 80,000 people die annually in the US and Europe from the cancer the market for an effective product would be huge.

Walker believes it could generate sales of $500m annually – to be shared by EctoPharma with MRC, PSP, and companies involved in production and marketing.

The “virtual” pharmaceuticals firm hopes to launch a product to treat head lice which has been developed in the same way next year.

EctoPharma has received backing from 150 investors.