Pro-Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTC:PRWP) today announced that the
Brussels Branch of the Ludwig Institute of Cancer Research is testing
the ability of DAVANAT® to stop Galectin-3 from blocking the
immune system’s action on cancer cells. Peer reviewed studies have
demonstrated that Galectin-1 and Galectin-3 induce apoptosis (cell
death) in immune system T cells (“Galectins,” Chapter 7, Wiley, 2008).
Dr. Pierre van der Bruggen’s team at the Ludwig Institute in Brussels,
Belgium, leaders in cancer immunology research, shows that blocking the
action of Galectin-3 improves the efficacy of T cells.
DAVANAT®, the Company's lead compound, is a carbohydrate
polymer that targets Galectin receptors that are over-expressed on
cancer cells. Current research indicates that Galectins affect cell
development and play important roles in cancer, including tumor cell
survival, angiogenesis, tumor metastasis and the ability of the cancer
cell to evade the immune system.
“Our experimental observations on cultured cells suggest that treatment
of cancer patients with DAVANAT® could correct T cell
function and that combining DAVANAT® with an anti-cancer
vaccine could induce a more efficient and long-lasting anti-tumoral
immune response,” said Dr. Pierre van der Bruggen.