From: "Dr. D. Kossove" <doctordee@telkomsa.net>
Subject: rheumatoid arthritis and tetrathiomolybdate
Date: Wednesday, January 07, 2004 4:15 PM

http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2003-09-10-1


Drug Developed for Rare Condition Could Treat Cancer
By Gabe Romain, Betterhumans Staff
9/10/2003  Hits: 409  Comments: 0

 
A new anti-angiogenesis drug developed as a treatment for a rare condition is showing promise in the treatment of several common diseases, including multiple forms of cancer.

University of Michigan researcher George Brewer developed the drug, tetrathiomolybdate, which eradicates excess copper from the body and stunts tumor growth, fibrosis and inflammation.

Angiogenesis is the formation of new blood cells from original blood cells, and a fundamental step in the transition of tumors from a dormant state to a malignant state.

Anti-angiogenesis drugs work to halt the process of developing new blood vessels. 

Wilson's disease

Brewer originally developed tetrathiomolybdate to treat Wilson's disease, a rare genetic disease that causes a toxic buildup of copper in the body.

The liver of a person who has Wilson's disease does not release copper into bile, as it should. 

As the intestines absorb copper from food, the copper builds up in the liver and injures liver tissue. 

Eventually, the damaged liver releases copper throughout the body and damages the kidneys, brain and eyes. 

Wilson's disease is hereditary and affects one in 30,000 people worldwide.

Copper chopper

Realizing that copper is also a factor in other illnesses such as cancer and heart disease, Brewer and colleagues began experimenting with tetrathiomolybdate.

They examined the role that copper plays in cancerous cells and found that it was important to various molecules called growth factors that organize which cells become part of new blood vessels.

Tetrathiomolybdate inhibits angiogenesis and growth factors by reducing copper in the body. 

Specifically, the drug slows cancer progression by preventing tumor cells from sending signals to form new blood vessels. 

The drug also creates a mild copper deficiency that hinders tumor growth.

Treating multiple diseases

In much the same way that copper deficiency inhibits the angiogenic effect in tumor cells, it also inhibits transforming growth factor beta, or TGF-beta, leading Brewer to believe that it would be a suitable treatment for fibrotic diseases.

In fibrotic diseases, the body overreacts to organ damage, causing inflammation and subsequent disease. Tetrathiomolybdate shuts down excessive inflammation and excessive fibrosis.

Tetrathiomolybdate may also replace current drugs that treat autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease. 

One of the few side effects that the drug carries is copper deficiency, which can cause anemia if not corrected by lowering the dosage or discontinuing the drug. Also, in Wilson's patients, liver damage is a risk associated with the drug. 

But the side effects are said to be minimal and can be corrected by abstaining from the drug for a short period of time.

Trials are currently underway or being planned to test tetrathiomolybdate for treating breast cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, esophageal cancer, mesothelioma, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, scleroderma, primary biliary cirrhosis and psoriasis.

Brewer presented his findings to date and a report on ongoing trials at the 226th American Chemical Society national meeting, in New York.
http://www.acs.org/ 