Listeria based cancer-fighting vaccines follow up:
Cancer Vaccine Based on Dairy Products May Stop and Eradicate Cancers
New York - PRINCETON, N.J.-- A scientist and her team of
researchers appear to have made a giant step in the development of a series of effective cancer-fighting vaccines that appear to be able to stop and reverse cancer growth. Central to this discovery is the microbe Listeria monocytogenes, a bacterium found in milk, cheese and other dairy products. This common microorganism apparently aids in fighting cancer by activating the body's own killer cells (cytotoxic T cells) to bring out a stronger immune response to the presence of cancer cells.
In a scientific study published in the Journal of Immunology (Sept. 2005), Yvonne Paterson, Ph.D., Professor of Microbiology at the University of Pennsylvania, and scientific director at Advaxis, a publicly traded biotechnology company located in Princeton, presented evidence of the cancer-fighting properties of a live modified Listeria cancer vaccine she created. The vaccine successfully eradicated several types of rapidly growing cancers
in mice.
The ability of Listeria vaccines to stimulate the body's immune responses has been known for some time, and Dr. Paterson's findings about the actions of Listeria is the result of more than ten years of scientific research and over 100 published studies in this field.
Dr. Paterson found when Listeria is introduced in the body, it has an extremely powerful, direct stimulatory effect on the activities of tumor-killing T cells. "Essentially, modified Listeria vaccines harness the power of the immune system against this infectious agent, and then directs it to successfully attack cancer cells," explains Dr. John Rothman, Advaxis' Vice President of clinical development. "The vaccines teach the immune system to mount a specialized, targeted response that is lethal to cancer." Advaxis is now undertaking preliminary trials for two new proprietary cancer-fighting vaccines: Lovaxin B, for the treatment of breast cancer and Lovaxin-C for cervical cancer. Although these are early results, clinical trials are expected to begin within the next year to two years. Says Dr. Rothman: "If Lovaxin C is successful in clinical trials it has the potential for treating cervical cancer in early and late stage disease,
including those women who have positive pap smears and currently require surgery."
Cervical cancer affects many thousands of women each year. The newly developed vaccine therapies for cervical cancer are directed at those women who have not been exposed to HPV, the viral cause of cervical cancer. Lovaxin C, which will be entering Phase I/II clinical trials, is intended to cure women who have already cervical cancer as a result of HPV exposure.
For more information, log onto advaxis.com
Posted on:
Friday, January 06, 2006 04:01 AM
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