Candidates Sought For Prostate Cancer Trial With Tookad
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From: Dave P on 17 May 2006 09:16 Current Canadian studies of Tookad, which was developed at the Weizmann Institute of Science, in patients with recurrent prostate cancer are the first of their kind anywhere. MONTREAL - A major Montreal study will determine if a light-activated drug developed in Israel fulfils its early promise in the treatment of prostate cancer. First-phase clinical trials of an experimental photosensitive drug called Tookad have yielded dramatic results, according to Dr. Mostafa Elhilali, chief surgeon at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) and the study's principal investigator. In a recently-completed trial, 46 per cent of patients showed no evidence of prostate cancer after treatment with the right doses of Tookad and the correct light intensity. A larger study to determine the drug's effectiveness is now underway at the MUHC. Researchers are now recruiting patients with recurring prostate cancer to take part in Phase 2 trials with Tookad. Prospective candidates should contact Joanne Savard at 514-934-1934, ext. 34037. "This new trial is designed to treat patients whose prostate cancers have recurred despite radiation therapy," explained Elhilali. "From previous studies, we have learned optimum light intensity and drug dosages. Now, we plan to treat patients, using this information to deliver optimum therapy to all participants. "If the trial also shows beneficial effects, we will go to the next phase - registering the drug to make it generally available for therapy." "Results so far are unprecedented," added Dr. Armen Aprikian, MUHC chief of urology and the study's co-investigator. "However, they are not conclusive. The upcoming trial is so important, because it will give us definitive evidence of how effective Tookad therapy is. Good results will lead to wider use." Tookad - from the Hebrew meaning the warmth of light - is a non-toxic, light-activated drug derived from chlorophyll. Injected into the patient, it remains inactive until exposed to laser light, which is shone into the target tumour using fibre optics. Once activated, Tookad produces a chemical that blocks blood vessels in the immediate area and chokes off the tumour's blood supply. "The mechanism is local, not systemic," said Elhilali. "The drug is activated only where light is shining, so nearby healthy tissue is spared. "Tookad has another advantage: it is eliminated in two hours. Previously, we had to keep people in the dark for weeks after treatment with these types of agents." Current Canadian studies of Tookad, which was developed at the Weizmann Institute of Science, in patients with recurrent prostate cancer are the first of their kind anywhere. "This is totally new," said Aprikian. "It's appropriate that the MUHC, as an internationally recognized institution, is leading the way in this area." Dave P
From: Glowing in the Dark on 17 May 2006 10:45 On Wed, 17 May 2006 09:16:35 -0400, Dave P wrote (in article <1147871795.224570.220260(a)j73g2000cwa.googlegroups.com>): [snip] > Tookad - from the Hebrew meaning the warmth of light - is a > non-toxic, light-activated drug derived from chlorophyll. Injected into > the patient, it remains inactive until exposed to laser light, which is > shone into the target tumour using fibre optics. > > Once activated, Tookad produces a chemical that blocks blood vessels in > the immediate area and chokes off the tumour's blood supply. > > "The mechanism is local, not systemic," said Elhilali. "The drug > is activated only where light is shining, so nearby healthy tissue is > spared. Umm, so how do they locate "the target"? Seems to me that would be the bigger breakthrough. -- Glowing in the Dark
From: Dave P on 17 May 2006 11:37 Dont know the procedure. But if this drug and procedure work its a whole new ballgame. I am also thinking down the line for systemic cancer. This in some way could be used for long term control of growing tumors throughout the body. They zap systemic disesase with radiation when the PCa is found on bones to control growth and pain at times. We are getting closer. I said a PCa cure or drug for long term control within 5 years back in 2003. I still stand by my prediction by 2008 there will be a major breakthrough that will stop or slow this disease down. Dave P
From: J on 17 May 2006 13:33 Dave P wrote: > Dont know the procedure. But if this drug and procedure work its a > whole new ballgame. > > I am also thinking down the line for systemic cancer. This in some way > could be used for long term control of growing tumors throughout the > body. They zap systemic disesase with radiation when the PCa is found > on bones to control growth and pain at times. > > We are getting closer. I said a PCa cure or drug for long term control > within 5 years back in 2003. > > I still stand by my prediction by 2008 there will be a major > breakthrough that will stop or slow this disease down. > > Dave P http://www.clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT00305929 The Prostate Centre Princess Margaret Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2M9, Canada; Recruiting Study start: March 2006 Multi-centre, phase II, open-label, 12-month clinical trial for patients that previously received a vascular-targeted photodynamic treatment (VTP) with WST09 (Tookad) and still have histological findings (prostate biopsies) indicating the presence of localized cancer. The WST09-mediated VTP procedure consists of an I.V. infusion of WST09 (Tookad) at 2 mg/kg, in combination with the per-cutaneous interstitial delivery of monochromatic laser light (of a wavelength of 763nm) via the trans-perineal implantation of illumination fibres, positioned in the prostatic lobes. In a previous Tookad trial, escalating doses of laser light were used with a fixed dose of WST09 (2 mg/kg) in patients with localized prostatic cancer. Patients who underwent the procedure but still have positive prostate biopsies (residual cancer) may benefit from an additional WTS09-mediated VTP procedure. Thus, the aim of this study is to treat patients still presenting with localized prostate cancer with a second WST09-mediated VTP procedure. Exclusion Criteria: Patients who have received another treatment for their prostate cancer since their previous WST09-mediated VTP. Looks like they were RT failures and now Tookad failures, but cannot have RT (nor anything else) again in order to be in the trial. "Official Title: Phase II Study of Photodynamic Therapy With WST09 in Patients With Recurrent or Persistent Localized Carcinoma of the Prostate Following Radiation Therapy Failure - Repeat Procedure"
From: J on 17 May 2006 14:17
Glowing in the Dark wrote: > On Wed, 17 May 2006 09:16:35 -0400, Dave P wrote > > [snip] > > > Once activated, Tookad produces a chemical that blocks blood vessels in > > the immediate area and chokes off the tumour's blood supply. > > > > "The mechanism is local, not systemic," said Elhilali. "The drug > > is activated only where light is shining, so nearby healthy tissue is > > spared. > > Umm, so how do they locate "the target"? Seems to me that would be the > bigger breakthrough. <http://spiedl.aip.org/getabs/servlet/GetabsServlet?prog=normal&id=PSISDG005689000001000112000001&idtype=cvips&gifs=yes> Techniques for delivery and monitoring of TOOKAD(WST09)-mediated photodynamic therapy of the prostate: clinical experience and practicalities Robert A. Weersink Lab. for Applied Biophotonics, Univ. Health Network (Canada) Arjen Bogaards, Mark Gertner, and Sean R. Davidson Ontario Cancer Institute/Univ. of Toronto (Canada) Kai Zhang and George Netchev Lab. for Applied Biophotonics, Univ. Health Network (Canada) John Trachtenberg Princess Margaret Hospital/Univ. of Toronto (Canada) Brian C. Wilson Laboratory for Applied Biophotonics (Canada) and Ontario Cancer Institute/Univ. of Toronto (Canada) Photodynamic therapy of solid organs requires sufficient PDT dose throughout the target tissue while minimizing the dose to proximal normal structures. This requires treatment planning for position and power of the multiple delivery channels, complemented by on-line monitoring during treatment of light delivery, drug concentration and oxygen levels. We describe our experience in implementing this approach in Phase I/II clinical trials of the Pd-bacteriophephorbide photosensitizer TOOKAD (WST09)-mediated PDT of recurrent prostate cancer following radiation failure. We present several techniques for delivery and monitoring of photodynamic therapy, including beam splitters for light delivery to multiple delivery fibers, multi-channel light dosimetry devices for monitoring the fluence rate in the prostate and surrounding organs, methods of measuring the tissue optical properties in situ, and optical spectroscopy for monitoring drug pharmacokinetics of TOOKAD in whole blood samples and in situ in the prostate. Since TOOKAD is a vascular-targeted agent, the design and implementation of the techniques are different than for cellular-targeted agents. Further development of these delivery and monitoring techniques will permit full on-line monitoring of the treatment that will enable real-time, patient-specific and optimized delivery of PDT. The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only. doi:10.1117/12.589700 Additional Information Full Text: [ PDF (247 kB) ] The PDF is subscription only - hopefully those interested can access it via the above link. J |