Vion (OCRX) is a R&D biotech company with several near and intermediate term product developments. For example, it has licensed from Yale University, exclusive rights to patent applications on several antiviral agents having activity against Hepatits B Virus (HBV), HIV, FddC and others. Vion has also licensed a family of highly potent Ribonucleotide Reductase Inhibitors which appear to act against solid tumors. Clinical trials may start in early 1997.
But what interests me (and my PhD buddies) the most is their program at Yale called Tumor Amplified Prodrug Enzyme Therapy (TAPET), a form of gene therapy. Microorganism are used for the delivery of prodrug converting enzymes to tumor tissues. These microorganisms have been designed to be highly selective for tumor tissue vs. normal issues. The microorganisms multiply selectively in tumor tissue to levels 1,000-10,000 times greater than found in normal tissue. The converted tumors then begin to express prodrug enzymes which in turn release tumor growth inhibitors causing significant regression in animal tumors. I haven't found anyone following this one!
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