Alfacell Corporation has expanded its research collaboration with the National Cancer Institute (NCI), one of the institutes of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Rockville, Maryland. Under the umbrella of this expanded relationship, the Molecular Radiation Therapeutics Branch DCTD (Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis), Radiation Oncology Sciences Program of NCI will evaluate Alfacell''s flagship product Onconase as a radiation enhancer.
"The pleiotropic pattern of the biological activity of Onconase has led the NCI to pursue research involving other areas of cancer biology," commented Dr. Kuslima Shogen, Chief Executive Officer of Alfacell Corporation. "The objective of Alfacell''s collaboration with the NCI is to develop new therapeutic applications for Onconase. An important area associated with significant market potential and opportunity involves radiation therapy. Many types of cancers undergo radiation treatment during the early stages of the disease, but success is often limited. Radiation therapy is the primary therapeutic modality in such cancers as Head and Neck, as well as early-stage Prostate cancer. An agent that is capable of enhancing radiation therapy by improving treatment outcome, without increasing side effects, has great market potential."
The research of Intae Lee provided the basis for this agreement. These studies demonstrated that Onconase causes an increase in both tumor blood flow (TBF) and in median tumor oxygen partial pressure (pO2), causing tumor cells to become less resistant to radiation therapy regardless of the p53 status of the tumor cell (i.e., the presence or absence of the tumor-suppressor gene).
"One of the primary causes for inadequate drug/radiation delivery into cancerous tumors involves elevated interstitial fluid pressure (TIFP) in solid tumors," continued Dr. Shogen. "Onconase significantly reduces TIFP, while simultaneously enhancing the effects of radiation and chemotherapy."
This research will be performed by Dr Philip Tofilon, Chief of Molecular Radiation Therapeutic Branch, in collaboration with Dr. Jim Mitchell, Chief of the Radiation Biology Branch. Dr. Mitchell has considerable expertise involving the in vivo imaging of tissue oxygen levels and blood flow. The effects of Onconase on pO2, and in vivo growth delay will be determined.