Race Oncology (ASX:RAC) said scientific activities carried out by the firm and its collaborators identified the anticancer activity of (E,E)-bisantrene drug candidate, according to a Thursday Australian bourse filing.

Bisantrene's activity predominantly results from binding and stabilizing of regulatory DNA and RNA structures called G-quadruplexes found throughout the human genome, sequences of which form three-dimensional structures that regulate the expression and translation of many genes involved in causing cancer, including the master cancer growth regulator, MYC.

Studies conducted by Race found that potent downregulation of the MYC gene occurs shortly after treatment with bisantrene, per the filing.