For Release at 6:00am
EST August 19, 2009 NEWS – NEWS – NEWS
ANTICANCER INC. DEVELOPS
NEW GENE-BASED FLUORESCENCE-LABELING TECHNOLOGY FOR CANCER SURGERY
AntiCancer,
Inc. scientists, collaborating with scientists from Okayama University in Japan,
have utilized a cancer-specific adenovirus to deliver and express the green fluorescent
protein (GFP) gene selectively in tumors in mouse models of disseminated
cancer. All the cancer in the mice became
genetically-labeled with GFP and fluoresced brightly green after the GFP adenovirus
was administered to the mice. Using a simple lighting and filter apparatus, the
scientists could readily see all of the cancer in the mice in contrast to when
the cancer was observed under normal lighting, when most of cancer is
invisible. Using fluorescent-guidance, scientists
were able to successfully surgically remove all the disseminated cancer.
“The
ability to selectively make cancer cells fluoresce in a living organism now
enables all the cancer to be visualized, even cancer that is invisible under
normal light. This enables the complete
removal of all the cancer. If microscopic
cancer still remains, the surgeon now has options: Either the remaining cancer can be better visualized
and targeted using a surgical microscope or, since the cancer has been made genetically-fluorescent,
any recurring cancer will still be fluorescent and will be able to be detected
and removed subsequently” said Charlene M. Cooper Vice President and Chief
Operating Officer of AntiCancer. The current study was published this week in
the Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA. AntiCancer scientists and Okayama University scientists,
lead by Dr. Toshiyoshi Fujiwara, hope that in the near future AntiCancer’s surgical-labeling
technology can be brought in to the clinic.
AntiCancer, founded in 1984 and based in San Diego has developed the
leading mouse models of cancer including MetaMouse® and AngioMouse®.
These models are made imageable with AntiCancer’s OncoBrite®
technology using fluorescent proteins.
AntiCancer is also developing new cancer drugs based on genetic
engineering that target cancer-specific metabolic defects. AntiCancer is
developing tumor-targeting bacteria. The company is also developing recombinant-enzyme-based
diagnostics for cancer and cardiovascular disease. AntiCancer offers the
Histoculture Drug Response Assay (HDRA) for individualized cancer
treatment. AntiCancer pioneered hair
follicle gene therapy and is now pioneering the use of pluripotent
hair-follicle stem cells for regenerative medicine for nerve and spinal cord
injury.
For further information, contact Charlene M. Cooper, AntiCancer,
Inc., via e-mail: