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Alfacell Says Onconase Shows Anti-Tumor Activity

Posted on: Friday, 17 November 2006, 12:01 CST

Alfacell Corporation has presented preclinical findings that support the potential anti-tumor activity of Onconase in non-small-cell lung cancer.

In the trial Onconase improved the efficacy of radiation therapy, resulting in significantly greater delay in tumor growth. Additionally, Onconase significantly induced apoptosis (programmed cell death) when administered as multiple low doses rather than when an equal dose was administered in a single injection.

The treatment was associated with significant decrease in lactic acid in tumors as well as increased tumor blood flow, suggesting the acute effect of Onconase may, in part, be due to its ability to reduce tumor interstitial fluid pressure (TIFP). TIFP is known to be a significant cause of inadequate drug delivery into solid tumors.

Onconase has promising therapeutic implications in cancer therapy because of its ability to induce apoptosis without suppressing the activity of functional p53, is a transcription factor that regulates the cell cycle and hence functions as a tumor suppressor. This is an important distinction between Onconase over other standard chemotherapeutic agents.

"These results suggest that Onconase may have a role as both an adjuvant to radiation and conventional chemotherapeutic agents in non-small-cell lung cancer," stated Dr Kuslima Shogen, CEO of Alfacell.

Source: Datamonitor

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