Researchers at Merck & Company, Inc. target gene therapy
2009 JUL 9 - (NewsRx.com) -- "Immunotherapy against infectious agents and malignant tumors requires efficient priming of effector cells through direct expression and/or efficient cross-presentation of antigens by antigen-presenting cells. Electroporation is a new procedure aimed at transiently increasing cell membrane permeability and direct delivery of antigen or antigen-encoding nucleic acids inside targeted cells," researchers in the United States report. "We evaluated the tolerability including compliance with repeated electroporation treatments using MedPulser DDS in 24 healthy adults. Pain severity was evaluated at time of electroporation treatment, and at 1, 5, 10, and 20 minutes, and 24 hours thereafter, using two clinically validated questionnaires: McGill Pain Questionnaire (MPQ) (Present Pain Intensity) and Brief Pain Inventory (BPI). Electroporation treatments were generally well tolerated. Twenty-two out of 24 subjects returned for the second electroporation treatment 14 days after first treatment. Only two subjects reported a treatment-related systemic adverse experience following either electroporation application. For both pain assessment tools, maximum pain and/or discomfort were mostly reported immediately (within 5 minutes) after electroporation; Furthermore, no difference was observed when comparing peak-pain scores after first and second electroporation treatments," wrote M. Wallace and colleagues, Merck & Company, Inc. The researchers concluded: "This study supports the clinical application of MedPulser DDS for the improvement of antigen-induced immune responses for prophylactic or therapeutic vaccines, especially in gene-based therapies for cancer.." Wallace and colleagues published their study in Molecular Therapy (Tolerability of Two Sequential Electroporation Treatments Using MedPulser DNA Delivery System (DDS) in Healthy Adults. Molecular Therapy, 2009;17(5):922-928). For additional information, contact L. Musey, Merck & Co. Inc., Merck Research Laboratories, Mail Stop UG3CD 28, 351 N Sumneytown Pike, N Wales, PA 19454, USA. Publisher contact information for the journal Molecular Therapy is: Nature Publishing Group, 75 Varick St., 9TH Flr, New York, NY 10013-1917, USA. Keywords: United States, Wales, Biotechnology, Cancer Vaccines, DNA, Gene Therapy, Immunotherapy, Merck & Company Inc., Molecular Research, Molecular Therapies, Pharmaceutical Business, Pharmaceutical Company, Treatment, Merck & Company, Inc. This article was prepared by Gene Therapy Weekly editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2009, Gene Therapy Weekly via NewsRx.com.
|
