Researchers Devise Lung Cancer Antibody

Researchers said Tuesday they have developed a lung cancer antibody that appears to kill deadly cells, but spare healthy tissue.

Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School said their newly discovered monoclonal antibody holds promise for future therapies to fight the deadly disease.

The university said it has teamed with Sydney, Australia-based EvoGenix to test the antibody — dubbed DMF 10 — in humans. EvoGenix has already licensed the biotechnology, U. of Mass. said.

The study investigators said the antibody works by binding to the surface of tumor cells, sparking a process called apoptosis. This process causes the cancer cells to self-destruct without affecting healthy tissue, and also aids the body’s immune system in going after the cancer cells, the researchers said.

The antibody seems especially effective in destroying lung cancer cells, but the researchers noted that it might work as well with other types of cancer.

Lung cancer is a devastating disease and we sorely need better, more effective therapeutics for it, said one of the researchers. While we still have some important work ahead of us, I believe this antibody has excellent prospects to be developed as a new therapy for lung cancer, and perhaps other tumors.