casualbb said:
Also 2thick, could you elaborate on targeting cancer cells?
-casualbb
Senesco's Patent-Pending Factor 5A Gene Reduces Apoptosis in Preclinical Glaucoma Studies
March 11, 2003 08:08:00 AM ET
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 11, 2003--Senesco Technologies, Inc. ("Senesco" or the "Company") SNT today announced that inhibiting the expression of its patent-pending gene, apoptosis eucaryotic Initiation Factor 5A ("Factor 5A"), has been shown to reduce apoptosis (cell death) in preclinical studies with human lamina cribrosa cells from the optic nerve head of human eyes. The lamina cribrosa is a supporting structure for the optic nerve at the point of connection with the eye. Apoptosis is a critical factor leading to blindness in glaucoma patients.
Glaucoma is a group of eye conditions arising from damage to the optic nerve that results in progressive blindness. It is estimated that 70-80 million people worldwide suffer from glaucoma, at least 5 million of whom have already become irreversibly blind. Apoptosis has been shown to be a direct cause of this optic nerve damage. Senesco has shown in other preclinical human studies that modifying the expression of its Factor 5A gene can effectively control apoptosis.
John Thompson, Ph.D., Senesco's Executive Vice President of Research and Development commented, "Our ongoing studies on apoptosis in human cancer cells and ischemic heart tissue gave us reason to believe that Factor 5A could be an effective tool for treating other human disease states attributable to abnormal apoptosis, such as glaucoma. These early tests with cells from human optic nerve heads appear to support that hypothesis, for we have seen up to a 70% reduction in apoptosis by inhibiting the Factor 5A gene."
Dr. Thompson added, "Factor 5A is a very powerful gene that appears to regulate the entire apoptotic process. The finding that it controls apoptosis in the optic nerve head indicates that blocking the expression of Factor 5A could potentially become an effective treatment for glaucoma."
In addition to the glaucoma study, Senesco has preclinical research programs in progress in which its proprietary apoptosis Factor 5A gene is being tested in diseased heart tissue and human cancers