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<DIV>From <A
href="http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2003/12/031208141008.htm">Science
Daily</A>: Genetically engineered stem cells can find tumors and then produce
biological killing agents right at the cancer site, say researchers at The
University of Texas <A href="http://www.mdanderson.org/">M. D. Anderson Cancer
Center</A>, who have performed a number of successful "proof of concept"
experiments in mice. <BR>This novel treatmentmay offer the first gene therapy
"delivery system" capable of homing in on and then attacking cancer that has
metastasized -- wherever it is in a patient's body. And the stem cells will not
be rejected, even if they are not derived from the patient. The system has been
tested in mice with a variety of human cancers, including solid ones such as
ovarian, brain, breast cancer, melanoma and even such blood-based cancer as
leukemia. "This drug delivery system is attracted to cancer cells no matter what
form they are in or where they are," says Michael Andreeff, M.D., Ph.D.,
professor in the Departments of Blood and Marrow Transplantation and Leukemia.
"We believe this to be a major find." <BR>In the novel delivery system,
researchers isolate a small quantity of MSC from bone marrow, and greatly expand
the quantity of those cells in the lab. They then use a virus to deliver a
particular gene into the stem cells. When turned on, this gene will produce an
anti-cancer effect. When given back to the patient through an intraveneous
injection, the millions of engineered mesenchymal progenitor cells will engraft
where the tumor environment is signaling them, and will activate the therapeutic
gene.</DIV></BODY></HTML>