Coramsine proven effective in treating mesothelioma in a mouse model
Cancer Weekly
December 21, 2004
Solbec Pharmaceuticals Ltd (ASX:SBP) announced that its cancer drug, Coramsine, is effective in both treating, and from preliminary results, preventing mesothelioma in a mouse model of the cancer.
Treatment with Coramsine in combination with the immune triggering compound, CpG, gave total remission of the mesothelioma. This was a much greater response than that seen with either agent on its own. The combination therapy was used to maximize the immunological effect of The Coramsine - CpG combination therapy potentially has the added effect of stimulating lasting immunity against the cancer as attempts to cause tumor formation in a treated, 'cured'
The aim of the study, which confirms and extends earlier findings conducted by Solbec, was to learn how Coramsine primes the immune system and whether it could bring about long term remission of mesothelioma. Further research will set out to confirm these findings.
The study was conducted by the Tumor Immunology Group at the University of Western Australia.
The study formed part of a program, funded by Solbec with support from the Australian Government's Biotechnology Innovation Fund.
Coramsine contains two compounds extracted from a plant known as the Devil's Apple and is undergoing parallel development for the treatment of psoriasis and cancers such as mesothelioma and melanoma. It acts by binding to a receptor on cancer cells and causing death of the cells. Our research suggests that the action and mechanism of Coramsine are unique. It is presumed to act on psoriasis skin lesions by inhibiting a cytokine, interleukin-6, associated with inflammation.
CpG The term "CpG" refers to two bases normally found in DNA, cytosine and guanine, with phosphate in between. It has been shown that inclusion of the CpG sequence in a small piece of synthetic DNA stimulates the immune response. Such sequences are normally found in bacterial DNA.
