ALL: I got this from the Yahoo site:
Hi all,
Caution adu. A recent (MARCH 1998) article in nature biotechnology suggests a rather omnious fate for Myotrophin. First paragraph reads.
New results from a long-term prospective study ( Science 279:563-566, 1998 ) that correlate plasma levels of insulin-like growth hormone-1 (IGF-1) with a risk of prostate cancer may come as a further blow to companies such as Genentech (S. San Francisco) and Chiron/Cephalon which are developing the protein as treatments for neurological conditions. The study may have implications, too, for the development of other cell-growth-promoting compounds.
The research...shows that men with the highest levels of circulating IGF-1...had more than four times the risk of prostate cancer..."The association of IGF-1 and prostate cancer risk is stronger than that of any previously reported risk factor, including steroid hormone levels,"
With respect to a recent analyst comments in the article;
Toni Claudio of UBS, has repeatedly pointed out that more ALS patients have died on the drug than have improved (Nature
Biotechnology 14:253, 1996). "IGF-1 is a dangerous drug with numerous serious side effects, and it has failed in many clinical trials,"
says Claudio. She points to side effects such as edema, dyspnea, tachycardia, muscle and joint pain, and low blood pressure,
which were sufficient to lead to the premature termination of an early study of IGF-1 in Type II diabetes. "These are not good
side effects for ALS patients, either," says Claudio.
The article gives several other accounts whereby it draws the conclusion that IGF-1 should not be used for long term treatments. The only bright note was with a product Celtrix has, IGFBP-3 which can be used in much higher doses than IGF-1 alone to build bone and connective tissue-apparently without side effects.
Additionaly,
...The IGF-1-prostate cancer link may soon be joined by other studies showing that high blood levels of IGF-1 are a risk factor for other cancers, including breast and colon cancer, said Pollak.
According to Pollak; "We believe that drugs that block IGF-1 and growth hormone alone, like somatostatin, may be effective in cancer prevention and treatment,"
I left BTGC at 12.5 for less.
LONE WOLF |
