Angiogenesis

performs a critical role in the development of cancer. To grow, solid

tumors need oxygen and nutrients provided by new blood vessels.

Once a vascular

network has been generated, cancer cells can also invade the rest of the

body, a process called metastasis. Currently, researchers believe that

more than 90 percent of all cancer cases are angiogenesis-dependent.

The good news

is that a novel class of drugs, which acts as angiogenesis inhibitors,

shows great potential in fighting more than 20 different diseases, including

many types of cancer. These "anti-angiogenesis" drugs being

developed and tested block the formation of new blood vessels, starving

cancerous cells and stopping tumor growth.

One drug being

tested, Neovastat, was discovered in 1994 and is derived from cartilage

tissue. Neovastat is the only angiogenesis inhibitor being developed in

the biotechnology and pharmaceutical universe that has four mechanisms

of action to combat blood vessel growth.

Furthermore,

Neovastat is taken orally, making it convenient for patients who need

long-term treatment, and it has shown minimal side effects in clinical

trials. This means that unlike standard chemotherapy, Neovastat is not

likely to interfere with a patient's immune system, or cause adverse gastrointestinal

symptoms or hair loss.

In addition,

because most cancer cells are genetically unstable and more prone to mutations,

resistance is a major problem with many chemotherapy agents. But since

anti-angiogenesis drugs target normal endothelial cells that are not genetically

unstable, drug resistance is less likely to develop and has not been a

problem so far in clinical trials.

Another hope

is that angiogenesis inhibitors can be used in combination with therapies

that directly target tumor cells. Because anti-angiogenic drugs and chemotherapy

are aimed at different cellular targets, it is possible that the combination

will prove even more effective than either therapy is as a stand-alone.

Currently,

Neovastat is the subject of three clinical trials, targeting three forms

of cancer for which there are urgent needs for new therapies. For multiple

myeloma, the second most common form of blood cancer, the drug is in phase

two trials with 125 patients in the United States, Canada and Europe.

This trial should be completed by the end of 2002.

For progressive

renal cell carcinoma, the drug is in phase three trials with 280 patients

in the United States, Canada and Europe, which should be completed in

early 2003. For non-small cell lung cancer, Neovastat is in a phase three

trial sponsored by the National Cancer Institute with 760 patients in

the United States and Canada. This trial should be completed in 2005.

Once the clinical

trials are complete, health authorities in various countries can then

assess test results and make decisions on approval.

Neovastat is

being developed by Aeterna Laboratories of Quebec, Canada. For more information

about current trials, call (888) 349-3232. If you are an oncologist, contact

Claude Hariton, PhD, vice president of Clinical and Regulatory Affairs,

(418) 652-8525, Ext. 306.

To learn more

about anti-angiogenesis and Aeterna Laboratories, visit the Aeterna Web

site at www.aeterna.com .

For more information

about the NCI's clinical trials, visit https://cancertrials.nci.nih.gov .

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