New Drug Tested to Help Mesothelioma Patients

Mesothelioma is an uncommon form of cancer that is primarily linked with exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma develops when malignant cells invade the lining of the lung, heart, or abdominal cavities. The most common form is pleural mesothelioma, originating in the lining of the lungs.

 

To date, there is no known cure for mesothelioma. Many clinical trials and scientific studies are being conducted to improve diagnostic and intervention methods. One current Phase II clinical trial being conducted in Australia is by Bionomics, a junior biotechnology company. Patients are being selected from the Western Hospital, Austin Health, Royal Melbourne Hospital and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Center. Both the Australasian Lung Cancer Trials Group and the NHMRC Clinical Trials Center have contracted to conduct the study. 

 

Bionomics is researching a new anti-cancer drug, BNC105. The drug under investigation operates as a low-molecular-weight vascular disrupting agent (VDA). VDAs cause a shutdown in blood flow to tumors, causing extensive necrosis to and inhibiting proliferation of malignant cells while leaving healthy tissues intact. 

 

VDAs aim is to cause rapid and tumor selective shutdown of the established tumor vasculature, leading to malignant cell death. The study hopefully will increase understanding into the mechanisms that control blood flow to tumors and potentially lead to development of new, more effective therapeutic drugs to slow progression or even cure mesothelioma. 

 

Another challenge with many cancer treatments is that the tumors become resistant to chemotherapy. Part of the current study will also be to investigate whether tumors treated with BCN105 evade resistance.

 

An estimated 2500 to 3000 people are diagnosed with mesothelioma in the United States each year. In Australia, about 600 people per year are diagnosed with the disease. The current study is selecting 60 patients, hopefully slowing the progression of the disease and improving quality of life for those suffering from mesothelioma. In the US, BCN105 will be undergoing a Phase II trial, only with patients diagnosed with renal cancer. 

 

Initial Results from the study are hoped to be released by early 2011.