EU project finds novel 'marine' way to treat cancer
An EU project, funded under the BIOMED 2 programme of Fourth Framework Programme, has discovered a novel way to fight certain cancerous tumours using small marine animals. The team of Dutch, French, and Spanish researchers has been utilising an alkaloid, Ecteinascidin-743 (ET-743), found in a type of Caribbean sea squirt, the Ecteinascidia turbinate, to treat some deadly tumours, and the results have been very promising. Research has shown ET-743 to be highly potent, with a unique profile of activity when compared to standard anticancer agents, thus carrying enormous potential for treating a range of cancers. The project, entitled 'A novel marine pharmaceutical with unique mechanism of action for the treatment of cancer', has helped establish trial stations in 24 EU centres across seven countries to test the chemicals as a treatment for sarcomas - a rare tumour. 'This represents an important medical development in the treatment of certain cancers,' said European Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin. 'Cancer kills more than 750,000 people a year. The EU is investing up to 400 million euro in cancer research over four years. But our investments will only bear fruit if researchers and funding agencies across Europe work together. The project shows it is possible to overcome fragmentation in cancer research and involve private companies in developing new cancer cures.' Sarcomas is a rare form of cancer that kills patient within six months to one year. A Greek word meaning 'fleshy growth', sarcomas is a cancer of the body's connective tissues, including fat, blood vessels, nerves, bones, muscles, deep skin tissues and cartilage. It is divided into two groups, bone tumours and soft tissue sarcomas (STS). Although sarcomas responds to chemotherapeutic drugs, which shrink their growth, a definitive cure had, until now, remained elusive. ET-743, however, can be used as an alternative chemotherapeutic agent to help where traditional therapies have partial effect. Thanks to EU funding, trials for ET-743, also called Yondelis, are being carried in the 24 centres across the EU. At present the chemical is only being testing against STS, but it is hoped it will soon be tested against other tumours types such as melanoma, lung cancer, ovarian cancer, breast cancer, renal cancer and prostate cancer. Yondelis is also being tested in combination with other treatments. The findings will soon be published in the Marine Drugs journal.
Countries
Spain, France, Netherlands