HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Anti-cancer smart bomb ready for human use

eric · 03-05-2008, 06:09 AM

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/s...eeb034&k=12700

Scientists at the B.C. Cancer Agency have developed an anti-cancer weapon that is not unlike a cruise missile, which is meant to hit targets with precision. It's been tested in mice and they say it's now ready for testing in humans.
They are calling their drug Irinophore C; its compounds are originally derived from a somewhat stubby tree called Camptotheca (or happy tree), which was found 40 years ago to have anti-cancer properties that were eventually extracted and synthesized.

The cancer agency-developed drug accumulated in the tumours with far greater efficiency and that convinced the scientists that a phase-one trial in humans is now possible. A phase-one trial is meant to evaluate the safety of the drug, not the effectiveness.
Such a trial is not expected to start immediately since researchers need to get more grant funding before proceeding. Work so far on the "proof of principle" concept has been funded with a $250,000 grant from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research but that federal agency insists that matching funds be obtained from other partners. Scientists are now trying to secure at least another $1.1 million to start the trial in patients with various types of advanced cancers.

03-05-2008, 06:09 AM	#1
eric Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 589	Anti-cancer smart bomb ready for human use http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/s...eeb034&k=12700 Scientists at the B.C. Cancer Agency have developed an anti-cancer weapon that is not unlike a cruise missile, which is meant to hit targets with precision. It's been tested in mice and they say it's now ready for testing in humans. They are calling their drug Irinophore C; its compounds are originally derived from a somewhat stubby tree called Camptotheca (or happy tree), which was found 40 years ago to have anti-cancer properties that were eventually extracted and synthesized. The cancer agency-developed drug accumulated in the tumours with far greater efficiency and that convinced the scientists that a phase-one trial in humans is now possible. A phase-one trial is meant to evaluate the safety of the drug, not the effectiveness. Such a trial is not expected to start immediately since researchers need to get more grant funding before proceeding. Work so far on the "proof of principle" concept has been funded with a $250,000 grant from the Canadian Institutes for Health Research but that federal agency insists that matching funds be obtained from other partners. Scientists are now trying to secure at least another $1.1 million to start the trial in patients with various types of advanced cancers.