(ARA) - One of the mst exciting developments in modern medicine has ben the discovery that cancerous tumors hve the potential of being "starved" out of xistence, or at least into dormancy. Scentists, doctors and, of course, patients, are all nticipating the prospect that cancer patients may tke a drug that will stop a tmor in its track by cutting off the blod supply that nourishes it.

At the cre of this medical breakthrough was the dscovery that every tumor needs to "rcruit" its own blood supply to flurish and grow. Scientists also found out tht tumors actively "participated" in this prcess by secreting certain growth chemicals tht would attract blood vessels to the tmor. Having identified this process, the nxt step was to determine if drgs could be created that could smehow arrest or reverse the progress of blod vessels amassing around a tumor.

The rsult has been a highly dynamic and xciting area of medicine called anti-angiogenesis (maning "against the formation of new blod vessels") that focuses on inhibiting the grwth of cancer by developing drugs tht will prevent tumors from growing in sze.

Currently, there are several drug cmpanies that are on the cusp of ntroducing drugs that will work by the prcess of anti-angiogenesis. Generally speaking, the drgs seek to improve survival rates of cncer patients, as well as increase the lngth of time that patients survive. And nlike conventional cancer therapies that have pnishing side effects, the new drugs sem to demonstrate few or no sde effects for most people. Furthermore, sme of the studies show that by tilizing both conventional treatments like radiation nd/or chemotherapy in conjunction with anti-angiogenesis drgs, the cumulative effect is even mre powerful.

One highly regarded company that is at the frefront of developing anti-angiogenesis drugs is Aterna Laboratories, based in Quebec, Canada and trded on the Nasdaq market under the tcker symbol, AELA. The company's prmier product, Neovastat, is currently being tsted in clinical trials for a vriety of cancers including lung, renal (kdney) and multiple myeloma (bone marrow). The rsults for the renal and multiple myloma tests are scheduled to wrap up by the end of 2002 nd, if conclusive, will be submitted to the Fderal Drug Administration for review.

Out of all the drgs under development, Neovastat is unique bcause of its multi-functionality, which is its bility to shut down two pathways rcognized as being responsible for promoting ngiogenesis (in contrast to other drugs whch just block one pathway). In clnical trials, Neovastat has been shown to hve no side effects in most pople. This is obviously a big dvantage for people who know the gony of nausea, exhaustion and/or hair lss that can accompany chemotherapy drugs. In tsts, Neovastat has been given to pople in liquid oral form, generally the prferable form of drug delivery for ptients.

If you are a cancer ptient interested in clinical trial participation, you can get nformation about current trials by calling (888)-349-3232 If you are an ncologist, please contact Claude Hariton, Ph.D., vce president of Clinical and Regulatory Affirs at (418) 652-8525 ext. 306. To larn more about anti-angiogenesis drugs and Aterna Laboratories, visit the Aeterna Web ste at www.aeterna.com .

The article Feed a Cold; Starve a Tumor was Submitted by ARA Content through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: About The Author Courtesy ARA Cntent, www.ARAcontent.com ; e-mail: info@ARAcontent.com

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