Prostate cancer vaccine
Tess Livingstone
February 06, 2007 11:00pm
Article from: Courier Mail, Brisbane.

A NEW vaccine developed by Brisbane scientists to combat prostate cancer appears safe in the first five patients studied in a phase-one trial.
Mater Medical Research Institute director Professor Derek Hart, who led the team which took six years to develop the vaccine, yesterday injected the third of three doses into Warwick carpenter Wayne Brown, 61, at the institute.

Mr Brown, the fifth patient to try the vaccine, was diagnosed with prostate cancer several years ago.

“I had hormone treatment, pills and injections for a few years but the PSA (prostate-specific antigen) level started going up again so I’m happy to give the vaccine a go,” Mr Brown said.
Another seven patients will be vaccinated in coming months.

Mr Brown’s treatment coincided with a visit to the institute by State Development Minister John Mickel, who announced a $500,000 funding boost for the program from the Smart State Health and Medical Research Fund to help cover day-to-day operational costs.

He said the fund was designed to boost the national competitive research strength of Queensland’s independent medical research institutes and attract further investment.
“The kind of research conducted by the Mater Medical Research Institute is of enormous significance – and the work being done with the prostate cancer clinical trial will benefit many men,” Mr Mickel said. “The institute is a world-class facility, and its research programs have attracted some of the best scientists in the world.”

Professor Hart said the funding was most welcome, as the total cost of the trial was about $5 million and had been made possible through state and federal funding and $1 million from Brisbane businessman Bill Siganto.

Professor Hart said each injection for the program cost $20,000, but that would be reduced to $15,000 when a refined and improved version began trials later this year.

Professor Hart hopes phase-two trials, to begin in two to three years, will enable men with less advanced prostate cancers, such as those operated on or having received radiotherapy, to access the program.

He said it would be at least five years before the vaccine was generally available.
The vaccine works by retraining dendritic blood cells to seek out and attack the cancer in a way similar to an attack on a cold or flu. The vaccine involves patients entering hospital to have blood taken for the vaccine, which is administered the next day.

For more information on the research work call 3840 2555.
IQ EDITOR

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