Cuba: Phase Two Prostate Cancer Vaccine Results to be Studied
Last Updated on Thursday, 27 September 2012 18:40 Thursday, 27 September 2012 18:27
HAVANA, Cuba , Sept 24 (acn) Heberprovac, a Cuban vaccine against prostate cancer shows positive results in the indicators analyzed during the preliminary studies after the completion of its phase two trials.
The vaccine, sponsored by the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB) in the central Cuban province of Camagüey, was applied to 56 patients in "Madame Curie" Cancer Hospital, in that territory, and the "Vladimir Ilich Lenin", in eastern Holguín province, and its results are being processed at the moment.
Urologist Ramfis Rodriguez, who led the research in Camagüey, told ACN that they will focus on the decrease in the tumor marker values ??or prostate specific antigen, prostate reduction, and little or no testosterone production.
Although all the men included in the sample have not been examined, the doctor said that so far they have seen compliance of these parameters, along with a marked improvement in the quality of life of patients.
This was confirmed by Dionisio Conde, a 60-year-old driver, who claims that during the trial the most bothersome symptoms such as frequent urination, and swelling and pain in the lower abdomen disappeared.
Jokingly, he said he doesn’t care too much for side effects as the decreased libido, which is notified to all patients before the starting of the treatment and appreciated the opportunity to extend his life to enjoy it with his loved ones.
Doctor in Medical Sciences Jesus Junco, in charge of the project by the IGBC, said that this therapeutic vaccine, designed for use in carcinomas of stages three and four, is expected that in the future can match or outperform standard treatments, which are expensive for Cuba to acquire in the international market.
When the evaluations are completed and the phase two results computed in the CIGB of Havana, the next phase of this trial will start, which will include more patients, will study its interaction with other drugs and compare it with standard therapy used in for condition.