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Exclusive: Cancer - A cure just got closer thanks to a tiny British company

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posted on Jul, 28 2013 @ 09:44 AM
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This hits very close to home for me, actually in my home, as I’m sure is the same for many who read this, given that cancer is the leading cause of death in developed countries. My grandma died from cancer, my mom has survived breast cancer and my oldest sister was diagnosed with breast cancer this May, had surgery and is currently going through chemotherapy. They caught it early.

With that said, I hope this is the breakthrough cancer patients, survivors, family members and future victims can rejoice at. I'm sure you haven't heard about this... so let’s get to it.

The short version, a group has discovered a way to successfully (in clinical trials) kill cancer cells using a patient's own immune defense system by engineering T-cells (which naturally seek out and destroy invading pathogens, but are not that good at it, hence all the cancer deaths) to aggressively seek out, bind to and destroy cancer cells.



The long version: www.independent.co.uk - article date of Sunday, July 14, 2013


A single-storey workshop on a nondescript business park in Oxfordshire is not the sort of place where you would expect scientific revolutions to take place.

For the past 20 years, the former academics who set up Immunocore have worked hard on realising their dream of developing a totally new approach to cancer treatment, and finally it looks as if their endeavours are beginning to pay off. In the past three weeks, the company has signed contracts with two of the biggest players in the pharmaceuticals industry which could lead to hundreds of millions of pounds flowing into the firm's unique research on cancer immunotherapy – using the body's own immune system to fight tumour cells.


The two contracts are with Genentech and GlaxoSmithKline.


It is no understatement to say that cancer immunotherapy, or immuno-oncology as it is technically called, represents a sea change in terms of cancer treatment. Cancer in the past has been largely treated by slicing (surgery), poisoning (chemotherapy) or burning (radiotherapy). All are burdened with the inherent problem of how to spare healthy tissue from irreparable damage while ensuring that every cancer cell is killed, deactivated or removed.

Many organisations have tried to develop anti-cancer treatments based on antibodies, with limited success, Dr Jakobsen said. Part of the problem is that antibodies are not really designed to recognise cells. What Immunocore has done is to build a therapy around the second arm of the immune system, known as cellular immunity, where T-cells seek out and destroy invading pathogens.



"There are a lot of companies working with antibodies but we are virtually the only company in the world that has managed to work with T-cells. It has taken 20 years and from that point we are unique," Dr Jakobsen said.

Immunocore has found a way of designing small protein molecules, which it calls ImmTACs, that effectively act as double-ended glue. At one end they stick to cancer cells, strongly and very specifically, leaving healthy cells untouched. At the other end they stick to T-cells.

The technology is based on the "T-cell receptor", the protein that sticks out of the surface of the T-cell and binds to its enemy target. Immunocore's ImmTACs are effectively independent T-cell receptors that are "bispecific", meaning they bind strongly to cancer cells at one end, and T-cells at the other – so introducing cancer cells to their nemesis.

The key to the success of the technique is being able to distinguish between a cancer cell and a normal, healthy cell. Immunocore's drug does this by recognising small proteins or peptides that stick out from the surface membrane of cancer cells.



The first phase clinical trial of the company's therapy, carried out on a small number of patients in Britain and the United States with advanced melanoma, has shown that people can tolerate the drug reasonably well and preliminary results suggest there are "early signs of anti-tumour activity", the company said.

But Dr Jakobsen said the clinical trial of Immunocore's T-cell drug, as well as future trials, are inherently safe because they are based on incremental rises in dose. All indications suggest it will lead to the expected breakthrough.

He added: "All the pharma companies have come to the realisation that immunotherapy may hold the ultimate key to cancer; it is the missing link in cancer treatment that can give cures."

"They have seen this technology develop. It has come over the mountain top, if you like. With our melanoma trial they have seen it is safe – and it is working."


20 years in the making and they are seeing efficacy & tolerability, which is paramount in clinical research if a biotech company wants to get their therapy approved. I work in clinical research with the largest CRO in the world and I've have participated in six Phase 1 clinical trials over the past few years.

If you are anything like me, you have arrived here with your doubts on the future success of this therapy; the possible suppression of this therapy; or the possible exclusivity/availability of this therapy (elitism). We all know the giants in every industry love to gobble up their competition, which often stifles innovation and progress… but this… this, I must have faith in. I have no choice. Millions, although they may never hear of Immunocore or be prescribed ImmTACs or see the possible benefit of this therapy, may not have a choice either.

Isn’t it curious that this breakthrough was discovered in a single-story workshop, and not under the nose of an industry-giant which receives millions upon millions of dollars for research and awareness each and every year?

This, by definition, is a breakthrough.

Keep an ear out!

Main source (already posted above)

www.cancer.gov

Want to volunteer for a clinical trial?

edit on 28-7-2013 by six67seven because: (no reason given)



posted on Jul, 28 2013 @ 09:53 AM
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Yeah yea yea, every other week there's a new cure for cancer. Then what happens? These studies and or the work being done doesn't see the light of day again. Big pharm isn't in the business of curing things, they're in the business of making sure you're a lifelong customer.



posted on Jul, 28 2013 @ 10:17 AM
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reply to post by jheated5
 


Your sentiments are reflected in the tail-end of my OP.

and to respond to the "work won't see the light of day" part, well, that's kind of where we come in. If people know about this, they pass it on. It gets passed on to cancer patients and they begin requesting this therapy. It becomes too big to hide.

I always think of Dr. Stanislaw Burzynski - The Great Cancer Hoax



posted on Jul, 28 2013 @ 10:26 AM
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reply to post by six67seven
 


I know how deadly cancer is, I lost my dad, my Aunts and uncles from it, plus lots of close friends, but I can never see any cancer treatment winning the fight, simply because so many firms world-wide and millions of people employed world-wide the chem firms would go BUST if a cure was ever allowed to cure it.
It is simply not in Doctors or company's best interests to have a cure.
The best thing you can do to help prevent cancer are the following.
Stop smoking.
Have a lot less drinks like Beer & Wine, 1 a day max.
Do not eat too much food in one meal, 3 small meals one every 4 hours are safer.
Do not use cheap make-up and never use hair colouring (it ends up in your blood).
Never eat fast, eat slow and chew your food well.
Walk at least 1 mile min each day, even if it is 3 short walks each time.
Never run as like these people do to get fit beside a main road, as it means more petrol and 4X4 fumes are filling your lungs and blood with nasty toxins that will give you cancer fast.
Do not use the spray hair can, use a gel on hair, that way it's on your head not up nose.
If you follow even these few things they will help you stay fit and well, unless you step off the road in front of anything fast that is.



posted on Jul, 28 2013 @ 10:48 AM
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reply to post by Alternative4u
 


I'm guilty of a few things you listed, like eating fast


But it is a fact Immunocore has signed two contracts which will provide so much more opportunity for research. Their name is Immunocore -- their goal for the last twenty years has been to discover a way to use our IMMUNE system to fight cancer. Of course, we may not hear anything further from them for another few years while they continue their research

And people beat cancer all the time, so the argument of 'no treatment will be allowed to help people' is inherently false.

Ye of little faith... not that I can blame anyone.
edit on 28-7-2013 by six67seven because: (no reason given)



posted on Jul, 28 2013 @ 05:43 PM
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And it will never ever be released to the public at large .
It will either only be for the very very rich ,or buried .
There are cancer cures .They never see the light of day .Can't have all those poor oncologists crying in their beer,now can we.



posted on Jul, 29 2013 @ 03:25 AM
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reply to post by PtolemyII
 


That is right, I know of a firm that made a product that would help women with PMT and other problems, after 6 years of trials in many parts of the world with success it come to Britain in 2004, WOW the Government was ordered by the Welcome group and other pill makers to remove it from the shelf, no way can it be sold in the UK, we do not make it, it is going to put our sales in grave danger.
Then the same good company that made that pill brought out a tablet that had a 92% success rate in Prostate & Bladder problems, it worked really well 1000's of men used it, got good results, the Pill was removed within 2 years of trials, WOW it was killing sales of other makers pills over night, plus Hospitals were scared that operation numbers may fall, 1000's of health workers would be short of business if we let sales go on, the Pill was removed within 4 years.
If anything helps you, yes it will NOT be allowed to be used.




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