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Scientists Report Success in Using Hepatitis Drug to Treat Anthrax By Mike Nartker WASHINGTON — Anthrax treatment researchers at the University of Chicago reported success this week in using an already available drug intended to treat hepatitis B (see GSN, Oct. 8, 2003). The researchers, led by Wei-Jen Tang, an associate professor at the university’s Ben May Institute for Cancer Research, reported their findings in a study published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Tang’s team discovered that the drug adefovir dipivoxil, sold commercially as Hepsera, blocked one of three toxins produced by the anthrax bacterium known as edema factor. According to a university press release, in the early stage of anthrax infection, edema factor interferes with the human immune system, allowing anthrax bacteria to replicate within the body and produce harmful toxins. Later, edema factor itself can also cause massive tissue damage, including the blackened lesions that give the disease its name. The word “anthrax” originates in the Greek word anthrakos, meaning “coal.” In cell culture tests, Tang’s team found that adefovir dipivoxil, originally intended to prevent the hepatitis B virus from replicating, works to block the effects of edema factor. The drug’s effectiveness means that only a small amount would be necessary for use as a treatment, and that such small amounts would also reduce the possible risks of side effects, the university statement said. The research could lead to new treatments to help combat anthrax during the later stage of infection, Tang told Global Security Newswire yesterday. At that stage, the use of antibiotics alone, as was done during the 2001 anthrax attacks for those infected with the disease, is not enough to combat the toxins produced by the damage and to prevent the resultant damage, he said. “We want to create a line of defense at every possible stage [of infection],” Tang said. The next stage of research will involve testing the drug’s effectiveness on small animals infected with anthrax, such as mice, Tang said. Future animal testing will involve progressively larger animals, such as rabbits and monkeys, he said. Tang said that he is currently applying for grants from the National Institutes of Health to continue the research, and added that he would like to see NIH ultimately take over the project. In addition, Gilead Sciences, the maker of Hepsera, has also expressed interest in the research, but is unsure of the potential market for the drug, Tang said. One key benefit of adapting existing drugs for use against biological warfare agents, such as anthrax, is an acceleration of research because the safety of the drug is already known, Tang said. He added, though, that many drug companies are more interested in developing brand-new treatments because of the financial and “egotistical” benefits they bring.
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