Biotechnology may become the latest ally of humans in fight ing its age-old enemy: cancer. A host of new drugs from the biotechnology sector are aiming to use the body's own cellular processes to halt growth of cancerous cells.

"The new generation of cancer medicines will be those that target genetics," said Dr Carl June, professor, Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, University of Pennsylvania, while moderating a special discussion on cancer drugs at a media brunch featuring cancer-fighting food during the BIO convention in Philadelphia on June 19.

"There is hope," said BIO president Jim Greenwood. He noted that 29 biotech drugs that fight cancer are in the market now and more are in clinical pipelines. Biotech leaders are confident that biologic drugs will someday overtake standard chemotherapy treatment, said June. "Unfortunately, it takes longer than we would like."

Promising Drugs
The results of some of the new generation cancer-fighting drugs show promise.

One such experimental drug is called MDX-010, developed by Medarex, Princeton. The drug is currently undergoing late stage human trials.

MDX-10 is an antibody designed to help patients with advanced metastatic melanoma cancer to fight it with strong immune response. Medarex CEO Donald L Drakeman said the trials have shows some dramatic results with six of the 29 patients recording shrinkage or disappearance of the tumor cells. These patients had received a higher dosage of the drug.

In patients with such advanced cancer, even the conventional chemotherapy works only five percent of the cases and that too for six weeks. "In one patient with the cancer spreading to lung and brain, the MDX-10 treatment enabled to prolong life for 30 months. This is really makes the drug exciting," Drakeman informed. In other cases, three of the 27 patients experienced partial responses, with two of them responding to the treatment to live for 25 and 26 months.

MDX-010 is a fully human antibody against human CTLA-4, a molecule on T cells that is believed to be responsible for suppressing the immune response. Medarex focuses on the discovery and development of fully human anti-body based therapeutics to treat life-threatening and debilitating diseases, including cancer, inflammation, autoimmune disorders.

Another promising treatment is from Cell Genesys of San Franciso. Cell Genesys CEO Stephen Sherwin said the company has developed a GVAX anti-cancer vaccine which is designed to stimulate the body's immune system. In one trial, cancer patients receiving GVAX had experienced a median survival rate of 26 months, eight months longer than chemotherapy-only patients.

The vaccine has been granted fast track clearance for phase 3 trials to treat patients with prostate cancer.

A lot of such promising drugs are under development. The problem, Sherwin said, was that it would take a lot more time to develop them fully. "The investment community is not really interested in investing in new therapies in the development stage because they don't know if they will succeed," he commented.

Human side of cancer

Richard Roundtree is a popular actor in the ongoing serial "Desperate Housewives". Nearly 12 years ago, three simple words from his doctor
hit him like a ton of bricks.

"You have cancer," the doctor told him. Roundtree couldn't believe that even a man would get breast cancer. Rountree narrated his fight to become cancer-free as he was now. Someone is diagnosed with breast cancer in the world every three minutes and every 13 minutes someone dies from the disease.

"We are in a war, a war against a vicious enemy without regard for age, sex or social position," Roundtree said. "This is a war that must be fought by all of us."

Roundtree has been at the forefront of cancer education.

His advice: Be alert to symptoms and get an early diagnosis, eat health foods, and exercise. "There are points in our lives where we are given another chance. I was," he said. " It is a message of empowerment. A message letting people know they have the ability to lessen the risk that cancer will be a part of their health history."

There were other high-profile cancer fighters at BIO. Fox News commentator Morton M Kondracke, whose wife died of cancer five years ago, has been a tireless crusader against cancer. "Cancer needs a tough fight. You are doing God's work by developing drugs that fight cancer," Kondracke told the biotech industry leaders. "Carry on."

Another touch of glamor came in the form of popular rock singer, Melissa Etheridge, who recounted her year-long fight with breast cancer. Praising the biotech industry for developing drugs to eliminate the " barbaric treatment of cheomotherapy involving washing one's body insides with chemical acids" she narrated her sufferings.

"There is no shame in having cancer. Don't hide it from friends," said the actress highlighting her decision to appear at this year's Grammy awards for a special performance, with her bald pate. " I threw away the scarf. What is there to hide," recalled Etheridge.