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Metastatic melanoma treatment launched
10 Nov 2006
Clinical Research
An investigational treatment for metastatic melanoma has been launched by Pain Therapeutics.
Clinical testing is scheduledto begin next year into a new site-specific treatment, which involves antibodies targeting the melanin released by tumour cells, killing the cells with ionising radiation.
These radio-labelled monoclonal antibodies are potentially a significant step forward in meeting the sharp treatment need for this patient group; preclinical work has shown proof of concept by completely inhibiting tumour growth in mice.
"The survival rate is dismal for patients with metastatic melanoma … We think any technology that can extend survival for these patients has a bright future in clinical medicine," said the chief operating officer of Pain Therapeutics, Dr Nadav Friedmann.
"The beauty of using a radio-labelled monoclonal antibody is its ability to target tumours with specificity and to deliver an effective dose of radiation that is not subject to drug resistance," added the company's vice president, Dr George Ben Thornton.
The US Food and Drug Administration has alreadyapproved two radio-labelled antibodies in oncology indications, something the company feels is promising for this line of research.
There are 8,000 malignant melanoma diagnoses every year in the UK and 1,800 deaths; the prognosis for metastatic melanoma, where the cancer has spread, is usually worse.
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