6-K: Report of foreign issuer [Rules 13a-16 and 15d-16]

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington. D.C. 20549
Form 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR I5d-16
UNDER THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the month of August, 2003
Novogen Limited
(Translation of registrant's name into English)
140 Wicks Road, North Ryde, NSW, 2113, Australia
(Address of principal executive office)
[Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file
annual
reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form 20-F v Form 40-F
[Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the
information contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the
information to the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Yes No
[If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the
registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2 (b):
82- ________________ .1
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on
its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
Novogen Limited
(Registrant)
Date 18 August, 2003 By Ronald Lea Erratt, Company secretary

ASX & MEDIA RELEASE


18 AUGUST 2003

NOVOGEN AWARDED US PATENT FOR ISOFLAVONES TO TREAT ESTROGEN
DEPENDENT DISEASE

Pharmaceutical company, Novogen Limited, has been granted a
patent in the US over the use of its isoflavone technology
for the treatment of estrogen-dependent disorders such as
fibroids and endometriosis in women.

This gives Novogen the option to produce patented dietary
supplements for younger women to alleviate estrogen dependent
disorders such as fibroids and endometriosis.

Fibroids symptoms affect 25% of women, usually in younger age
groups and occurs as a result of excessive stimulation of the
reproductive organs by endogenous estrogen. This causes benign
growth of uterine muscle which can result in abdominal
swelling and pain. Current treatments usually involve
surgical removal.

Endometriosis affects up to 10% of women again usually in
younger age groups, and is a condition where tissue forming
the uterine lining begins to grow outside the uterus in
the abdominal cavity.

This is a distressing condition and because of the diffuse
nature of these growths is very difficult to treat and causes
long term chronic pain and distress.

Both conditions are fuelled by over production of estrogen
and ultimately may only be treated effectively by surgery.

The key finding covered by Novogens patent is that natural
plant estrogens, known as isoflavones, can antagonise the
ability of a woman s own estrogen to fuel the growth of these
tissues.

Novogens Research Director, Professor Alan Husband said
it was an apparent paradox that natural estrogens may top
up estrogen effects in older women but dampen their effects
in younger women where their own estrogen was abundant.

Part of Novogens discovery is that the isoflavones found
in red clover compete weakly for estrogen receptors and
in the absence of endogenous hormone estrogen, as occurs
in women after menopause, can stimulate these receptors
to provide a surrogate estrogen effect,
Professor Husband said.

In younger women, when most of the receptors are being
stimulated by their own estrogen, the weakly acting plant
estrogens compete for the binding sites and when they
stimulate the receptors produce only a weak estrogenic
signal, thus dampening the overall estrogenic
stimulus at these sites.

The patent applies to the isoflavones genistein,
daidzein, formononetin and biochanin, all of which
are contained in red clover isoflavone supplements
currently marketed by the Company for management
of menopause symptoms and long term effects of
estrogen deficiency.

Novogens Managing Director, Mr Christopher Naughton,
said adding another patent to the suite protecting the
Companys isoflavone technology would consolidate
Novogens market leadership in this sector.

We will be able to create new commercial opportunities
by extending our supplement product range to cater
for younger women, Mr Naughton said.

Novogen will also maintain its leadership role in this
important area of non-prescription treatments for
womens health problems through its ongoing development
of novel science coupled with advanced manufacturing
processes to provide natural and safe alternatives to
prescription estrogen products.

Novogens isoflavone products are marketed globally
and the Company coordinates and manages its research
and development programs utilising the expertise and
clinical research capabilities of universities and
hospitals in Australia and key international locations.

Under US law, a new drug cannot be marketed until it
has been investigated in clinical trials. After the
results of these trials are submitted in a new drug
application to the FDA, the FDA must approve the drug
as safe and effective before marketing can take place.

Statements herein that are not descriptions of historical
facts are forward-looking and subject to risk and
uncertainties. Actual results could differ materially
from those currently anticipated due to a number of
factors, including those set forth in the Companys
Securities and Exchange Commission filings under
Risk Factors, including risks relating to the early stage
of products under development; uncertainties relating
to clinical trials; dependence on third parties;
future capital needs; and risks relating to the
commercialisation, if any, of the Companys proposed
products (such as marketing, safety, regulatory, patent,
product liability, supply, competition and other risks).


More information on the Company can be found at
www.novogen.com.

ISSUED FOR : NOVOGEN LIMITED
LISTINGS : ASX (CODE NRT), NASDAQ (CODE NVGN).
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION : ALAN HUSBAND,
RESEARCH DIRECTOR, NOVOGEN LIMITED TEL +61 2 9878 0088

ISSUED BY : WESTBROOK COMMUNICATIONS CONTACT:
DAVID REID TEL +61 2 9231 0922 OR 61 417 217 157