Vaccine to check prostrate cancer developed

NAGPUR, Dec 29: A vaccine, useful in controlling cancer as well as benign enlargement of the prostrate gland in males and most probably horm...

NAGPUR, Dec 29: A vaccine, useful in controlling cancer as well as benign enlargement of the prostrate gland in males and most probably hormone dependent breast cancer in females, will soon be available thanks to the efforts of Prof G P Talwar, Professor of Eminence, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi.

The vaccine has been clinically tested on 28 patients suffering from advanced stage of prostrate carcinoma, the second biggest killer cancer in the West. Prof Talwar was in the city to participate in the three-day national conference organised by the Department of Biochemistry, Nagpur University.

The pioneer of several new vaccines and immuno-diagnostics and a Padmabhushan awardee, Prof Talwar said that the vaccine has passed the toxicology test on rodents and monkeys and has been found to be safe. Research is being conducted to develop a genetically engineered version of the vaccine, which will be cheaper and amenable to mass production, he said.

The vaccine is also being encapsulated in multiple doses in the form of biodegradable micro-spheres to facilitate entire treatment at single contact point.

Prostrate hypertrophy or enlargement is a natural phenomenon in males, normally after the age of 40. It leads to obstruction to the urethral tube and problems in passing urine and secondary complications arising out of this malfunction. Currently, surgery is the only way to deal with the problem.

Prof Talwar said the vaccine works by generating antibodies which are effective only for about four months. Therefore, it needs to be given in a dose of three injections with a gap of a month between each injection. The effect is reversible; when antibodies disappear, the prostrate regenerates but remains small in size.

With the permission of the Expert Committee of the Indian Council of Medical Research and Drug Controller of India and Ethics Committees, the vaccine was tested on 12 patients in advanced stage of prostrate cancer each at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and Post Graduate Institute, Chandigarh and four patients at Salsburg, Austria.

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Results revealed that the vaccine was free of side-effects and was tolerated well by all 28 patients, many of whom recorded clinical improvement, shrinkage of prostrate masses and fall in the Prostrate Specific Antigen levels, endorsing the therapeutic value of the vaccine in cancer.

However, clinical trial for benign hypertrophy has not yet been conducted on humans, he said. The vaccine could be used as a single course dosage for the benign enlargement, he said.

Prof Talwar has also developed a vaccine for multi-bacillary leprosy, which is in phase III of clinical testing. An immuno-therapeutic vaccine, it expedites bacterial clearance and shortens the cure period. The vaccine will upgrade immunological status, making the patient less susceptible to further infection.

Prof Talwar is also working on a vaccine for control of fertility in women, without disturbing ovulation and menstrual cycle. The vaccine has passed Phase I and II of clinical trials and found to be safe and reversible.