Seneca Valley Virus Kills Cancer Cells

In the United States, cancer second leading cause of death. 1 "The American Cancer Society projects there will be 559,650 deaths from cancer in 2007; 289,500 among men and 270,100 among women. The Society also predicts there will be 1,444,920 new cases of cancer in 2007; 766,860 among men and 678,060 among women. 3 Cancer attributable to overweight, obesity, poor nutrition, and physical inactivity. Many cancers are detected in the breast, colon, and cervical and rectal parts of the body. Forty percent of cancer deaths are due to tobacco use.

2 Estimated in 2007, lung cancer account for twenty-six percent of all female cancer deaths. "Among females, leukemia is the leading cause of cancer death before age 20 years, breast cancer ranks first at age 20 to 59 years, and lung cancer ranks first at age 60 years and older," In the United States, cancer second leading cause of death among children between ages one to 14 years. 3

Paul Hallenbeck, Ph. D., founder, President and chief scientific officer of Netropix ("Neotropix is dedicated to discovering virotherapies that hold great promise for treating cancer" 10) (Malverna, Pennsylvania), discovered the Seneca Valley Virus-001 (SVV-001) while working at a subsidiary of Novartis Pharmaceuticals, called Genetic Therapy. The virus previously undiscovered strain from the Picornaviridae family of viruses (Picornaviruses are among the oldest viruses, dating back to 1400 B.C. 5)

Paul Hallenbeck & colleagues examined and disclosed the effectiveness of the virus, Seneca Valley Virus-001 (SVV-001) treating lines of cells from small-cell lung cancer, and some pediatric cancers. Also, SVV-001 affective treating lung cancer and eye cancer in immune-deficient mice. (Eradicate small cell lung cancer in 10 out of 10 mice tested.) The findings of their study published in the November 7, 2007, issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Paul Hallenbeck said: "In animal studies, we found complete eradication of small-cell lung cancer". The SVV virus does not become inactive by the immune system, but appears to reach metastatic cancer cells (cancer that has spread from it's primary site to other parts of the body 4) 6 Seneca Valley Virus-001contain natural properties of oncolytic viruses (Effectively infect and eradicate cancer cells while leaving normal cells unharmed 7) to fight cancer known as virotherapy.1 "Virotherapy is an experimental form of cancer treatment using biotechnology to convert viruses into cancer fighting agents by reprogramming viruses to only attack cancerous cells while healthy cells remained undamaged." 8 Dr. Jay Brooks, chairman of hematology and oncology at Ochsner Health System in Baton Rough, Louisiana said: "These initial results look promising and warrant investigation, but this is a very early study done in cell lines and an animal model." 6

In 2006, The Food and Drug Administration approved Seneca Valley Virus (SVV-001) dose-escalating Phase 1 study systemically administer safely to patients with certain types of cancers, including small cell lung cancer. Neotropix plans to select an optimal does for further clinical studies at the end of Phase 1 study, sometime next year. Dr. Paul Hallenbeck said: "Our first product may provide a breakthrough therapy for patients with some of the most serious types of cancer known, such as small cell lung cancer, for which there are few promising therapies under development." 1 In the midst of phase 1 clinical trial includes eighteen people. The trial study only evaluate the safety of SVV-001 administer in humans and not designed to assess effectiveness. (If Phase 1 trial proves well, testing SVV-001 in future trials designed to measure effectiveness.) 9

Seneca Valley Virus advantages compared to other oncolytic viruses and chemotherapeutics: Targets tumor cells without damaging healthy cells, "No overt toxicity at does one million times higher than effective doses in mice," SVV-001 eradicates tumors more efficiently: Small in size to enable to better penetrate and spread in solid tumors, and "Not inhibited by any compound of human blood and preexisting antibodies are not found in humans."1

Authors of the study said (November 7, 2007, issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.): "It is unclear whether these results from immune-deficient mouse models would be similar to those of patients with metastic cancer. In particular, it is unknown whether the patients immune system would reduce the effectiveness of SVV-001." 6

References:

1) Neotrpox Receives FDA Approval To Begin Clinical Trials With First Investigational Cancer Drug - http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/43609.php

2) U.S. Cancer Deaths Continue to Decline - http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=80398

3) Cancer Deaths Drop For Second Consecutive Year - http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/01/070118095233.htm

4) What is Metastic Cancer? - http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/content/CRI_2_4_1X_What_is_metastatic_cancer_67.asp?sitearea=

5) Picornaviridae - http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Picornaviridae

6) Virus Shows Some Cancer-Killing Abilities - http://health.msn.com/centers/cancer/articlepage.aspx?cp-documentid=100173388

7) Oncolytic virus - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oncolytic_virus

8) Virotherapy - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virotherapy

9) Virus Shows Some Cancer - Killing Abilities - http://www.healthcentral.com/newsdetail/408/609579.html

10) Neotropix receives FDA approval for cancer trials - http://www.drugresearcher.com/news/ng.asp?n=67774&m=1DRG519&c=[emailcode]