Veglin Treatment - Mesothelioma Veglin Chemotherapy

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» Anti-Angiogenesis Chemotherapy Drugs
» How the Drugs Work

Veglin is a type of antisense oligonucleotide anti-angiogenesis drug undergoing clinical trials at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine. Manufactured by VasGene Therapeutics, Inc., Veglin has shown successful preliminary results in lowering VEGF protein levels. Phase I Veglin clinical trial results were presented at the 40th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (2004). They stated that in some cases, the Anti-Angiogenesis drug was shown to be capable of periodic stabilization or reduction of tumors.

Patients participating in phase I of the Veglin mesothelioma clinical trial were given the opportunity to try the experimental treatment because they had an advanced cancer with minimal hope of survival. Veglin was administered intravenously to these patients over a period of two hours, five days in a row. Seven days of no treatment followed before the process started over. This cycle was repeated for four months.

Veglin lowered levels of VEGF-A and VEGF-C (forms of VEGF) in 47% and 21% of the study participants. Participants have had no significant toxic side effects even with an increased Veglin dosage.

Phase II Veglin clinical trials began in late 2004 and are ongoing. Targeting renal cell carcinoma, leukemia, lymphoma and malignant mesothelioma, researchers at the Keck School of Medicine are hoping for further successes. Currently, Alimta (when combined with Cisplatin) is the only FDA approved drug for the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma.

If Veglin proves successful in blocking VEGF proteins and related blood vessel formation, it is believed that it will prevent metastasis and cause the programmed death of existing cancer cells (apoptosis).

Anti-Angiogenesis Chemotherapy Drugs

Angiogenesis is a natural process through which new blood vessels are formed from pre-existing vessels. Though a natural process essential to the growth and development of the body, angiogenesis is responsible for the spread and growth of cancerous cells.

Mesothelioma cancer cells grow and divide uncontrollably. Their rapid generation time and genomic variation allow them to evolve resistance to many chemotherapy and radiation treatments. This resistance makes it difficult to successfully eradicate malignant cancer cells from the body. Cutting-edge cancer research takes a new approach to battling cancer cells by targeting of genomically stable cells that are fundamental to cancer malignancy.

How Anti-Angiogenesis Drugs Work

An Anti-Angiogenesis drug (angiogenesis inhibitor) inhibits the growth of new blood vessels. Anti-Angiogenesis drugs target a family of naturally occurring proteins called VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor). VEGF stimulates the growth and survival of the vascular system and is required for angiogenesis.

A newly formed tumor cannot grow beyond a certain size (typically 1 to 2 mm³) without nutrients and oxygen that are supplied by blood vessels. Tumors secrete VEGF, inducing nearby blood vessels to grow into the tumor, fostering malignancy. Anti-Angiogenesis drugs join with VEGF proteins to prevent them from binding with receptors that make angiogenesis possible. Stopping the formation of new blood vessels therefore prevents tumor growth, allowing for tumor containment until additional action can be taken to kill or remove the cancerous cells.

The use of Anti-Angiogenesis drugs in animal studies has proven to be successful in preventing the formation of new blood vessels. A number of malignant mesothelioma clinical trials involving humans are already underway and hope to yield similar success.

More drugs in use:
» Alimta
» Anti-Angiogenesis
» Cisplatin
» Onconase

[Page updated January 2006]