A new drug designed to treat patients with colorectal cancer is to undergo phase IIb trials later this year, it has been announced.

Nektar Therapeutics said that NKTR-102, an irinotecan, will be examined at more than 40 centres across the world in order to collect data on its safety and efficacy when used to treat patients who have solid tumours in the bowel or rectum.

Patients who have never received treatment with irinotecan will receive a dose of NKTR-102 alongside cetuximab, the firm said.

The results will then be compared with those of a regime comprising of a dose of standard irinotecan and cetuximab.

According to the World Health Organisation, colorectal cancer is the fourth most common form of the disease in the world, causing around 655,000 deaths each year.

Masters, a global healthcare solutions provider, can obtain comparator drugs for researchers conducting clinical trials from over 200 manufacturers and has the ability to turn around requests within a day.

It can also source drugs on behalf of medical professionals who are treating patients with a special need for a drug that is still undergoing clinical trials.