A REVOLUTIONARY cancer drug discovered by a Bolton born scientist is in line for a top award at the medical industry's "Oscars".

Brain cancer drug Temodal is among 10 drugs vying for the pharmaceutical industry's Prix Galien award.

And it will be battling for honours against impotence treatment Viagra. Vital testing during the development of the sex pill was carried out by Bolton doctor Eric Curless.

The cancer drug, which is licensed for the treatment of patients with mid and high grade tumours, was discovered Bolton born scientist professor Malcolm Stevens and his team working for the Cancer Research Campaign (CRC).

Former Bolton School pupil and avid Bolton Wanderers fan professor Stevens discovered the drug when he headed a research team at Aston University in Birmingham in 1980.

The drug was developed over the next two decades, funded by £10 million of charity donations, and it has been benefiting patients around the world since its launch last year.

Prof Stevens, now based at the CRC Laboratories in Nottingham, will join representatives of the CRC and Schering-Plough Ltd, who market the drug, at a gala ceremony in London on Tuesday.

The result will be announced at the ceremony.

Prof Stevens, who lived in Heaton before he left for university, said: "For me, development of the drug was a career highlight and the fact that it has been named a finalist in these prestigious awards is a tribute to all those involved.

"Of course, the biggest reward for the work we have done is the fact that Temodal is now helping patients."

About 4,000 new cases of brain cancer are diagnosed in the UK each year.

Patients with mid to high grade tumours have a poor prognosis and the aim of the treatment is to prolong survival, relieve symptoms and enhance quality of life.

Temodal can be taken at home in capsule form and it does not have many of the serious side effects commonly associated with other forms of chemotherapy.

A panel of independent experts at the Prix Galien will judge which drug has made the most significant contribution to patient care.

Bolton doctor Eric Curless played a vital role in testing sex pill Viagra.

He was a prinicpal investigator into Viagra for the manufacturer Pfizer.

He was responsible for the first clinical trials of the impotence treatment on this side of the Atlantic and recruited the first ever man in Europe to take the pill.