SCIENTISTS AT Northfield Laboratories have developed an advanced treatment for pancreatic cancer.
The use of polymerised hemoglobin, or Polyheme, was found to have reduced metastases and primary tumor growth in mouse laboratory models of pancreatic cancer.
 The authors of the study, led by Dr. Carlton Barnett, explained that the deployment of Polyheme in lieu of red blood cells could prolong survival in patients with pancreatic cancer who require transfusions.
"This study extends the earlier important observations from the Denver group demonstrating that the plasma fraction of stored packed red blood cells contains biologically active molecules that promote pancreatic cancer proliferation in immunocompetent mice, while Polyheme does not," Northfield CEO Dr. Steven A. Gould told The News. "We believe that this is one of many potential clinical indications for Polyheme worthy of further study."
Indeed, Polyheme did not demonstrate the elevated levels of biologically active factors observed in the plasma from stored red blood cells. In addition, metastases and primary tumor growth were significantly reduced in animals on Polyheme compared to animals receiving plasma from stored red blood cells.
The above-mentioned study expands on earlier research conducted by Dr. Ernest E. "Gene" Moore, who demonstrated that the plasma fraction of stored red blood cells contains biologically active factors that cause immune dysfunction. Moore's team also proved that Polyheme is devoid of such factors and attenuates the observed immune dysfunction.
|