Varian Medical Systems Subsidiary Licenses Novel New Drug Designed to Enhance the Effectiveness of Cancer Treatment

Centella Therapeutics, Inc., a subsidiary of Varian Medical Systems, Inc. VAR, and Auckland UniServices Ltd. of Auckland, New Zealand, today announced that they have entered into a licensing agreement granting Centella exclusive rights to CEN-209, a novel investigational drug designed to enhance the effectiveness of radiotherapy and chemotherapy when treating solid tumors that are hypoxic—or oxygen-starved—and therefore resistant to standard forms of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. CEN-209 is selectively activated in areas of low oxygen often found within solid tumors. These areas develop within tumors due to their rapid growth, which impairs the blood vessels bringing nutrients and oxygen, resulting in hypoxia.