RandyW Posted July 22, 2007 Posted July 22, 2007 CTRC tapped for new clinical trial for lung-cancer treatment San Antonio Business Journal - 10:47 AM CDT Friday, July 20, 2007 The Cancer Therapy & Research Center Institute for Drug Development has been selected to participate in a new clinical trial that involves introducing a living virus into a patient's system to destroy cancer cells. CTRC is only one of three sites in the Unites States, and the only one in Texas, to be enrolling patients for this new Phase II clinical study for patients with various types of sarcomas that have metastasized to the lung. Calgary biotechnology company Oncolytics Biotech Inc. selected CTRC to serve as one of the sites for the Phase II study. So far, the local institute has enrolled the first two patients in this clinical study. Up to 52 patients will be enrolled in this study altogether. CTRC researchers will be responsible for using a novel anti-cancer therapy, called Reolysin, in cancer patients instead of a chemotherapy drug. Scientists say the virus is toxic to cancer cells but not harmful to normal cells. This cancer treatment using a living virus is the first of its kind available at CTRC. Monica Mita, principal investigator at the CTRC Institute for Drug Development, says Reolysin's name was derived from the human reovirus, a mild virus that occurs naturally in the environment. Reolysin demonstrated success against tumors in earlier levels of scientific testing, which prompted the Phase II clinical study. San Antonio-based CTRC is one of the nation's leading academic research and treatment centers. The cancer organization serves more than 4.4 million people living in Austin, San Antonio, Laredo and the Rio Grande Valley. Quote
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