A leading medical company has secured a patent for a new cancer treatment that utilises the platinum group metal ruthenium.

UK-based Medical Marketing International Group, which specialises in the bio-therapeutic sector, says it has now won formal notification from the US Patent Office for its ruthenium anti-cancer therapy.

The treatment is being developed by Oncosense, MMI's wholly-owned cancer therapy subsidiary, which has expressed optimism at the prospects for success using the techniques developed.

The new treatment appears to hold an advantage over rival treatments because it has the potential for reduced toxicity, thus avoiding some of the more severe side-effects.

Individual compounds proved effective in treating cancers including non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer and melanoma.

Mark Burton, Technology Manager at MMI, commented: 'We are delighted to have received notification that the ruthenium patent will be granted in the world's biggest cancer therapy market. When added to the European patent notification this means that we will have protection in two of the world's largest markets.'

'This news coupled with our technical progress with ruthenium considerably strengthens our commercial position in the global cancer therapy market which is worth some $20 billion,' he added.

MMI has already won European approval for the patent, which was announced in October.