June 14, 2003 — A new cancer treatment pioneered in Australia is to be trialled by top hospitals in Europe and the United States after being hailed a major breakthrough by a Washington conference, its developers said Tuesday.
The treatment, which could be available within two years, stimulates the body's immune system to make it produce more T-cells to fight cancer and, potentially, HIV/AIDS.
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It was developed by researchers at Melbourne's Monash University, backed by biotechnology group Norwood Abbey and unveiled at the US Bio2003 world biotechnology conference by Steve Bracks, Premier of the Australian state of Victoria on Monday.
Six hospitals in the United States and Britain have agreed to test the treatment on selected groups of cancer patients in the next year while Swiss hospitals will test it with HIV/AIDS patients in conjunction with the US National Institutes of Health.
"This is a world first breakthrough for cancer treatment," Bracks said from Washington.
It is the second Australian developed cancer treatment unveiled at BIO2003 by Australian political leaders within two days. Queensland's state premier Peter Beattie announced a vaccine which has tested successfully to treat the skin cancer, melanoma.
Melbourne-based Norwood Abbey, which invested 6.0 million dollars (4.0 million US) in the project, said it planned to join forces with a global partner and, subject to successful human trials, a treatment should be available within two years.
Norwood Abbey executive chairman Peter Hansen told reporters his company was "very, very close", subject to successful trials, to marketing the research.
The treatment, which involves a world first in reviving the immune system by rejuvenating the thymus that degenerates with age, had minimal side effects beyond skin irritations and hot flushes, Hansen said.
The rejuvenation process increases the body's output of vital T cells which are the primary defence against cancer and viral infections.
"Too often in the past remarkable Australian research has been lost abroad, along with most of the rewards," he said.
"We have worked hard to change this so cancer patients and others with life threatening diseases throughout the world may benefit from future treatment."
The therapy is based on an existing class of drugs called GnRH analogues, which are used to block the production of sex hormones in people with prostate cancer, breast cancer and endometriosis.
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