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LIVER CANCER

A Streak Of Hope

       Liver cancer (or hepatocellular cancer) is bad. It is deadly. The worst part is that this deadly cancer is the fourth most common cancer in the world, killing patients within a year. Most cases of liver cancer are caused by hepatitis infection (usually hepatitis B or C) or cirrhosis (alcoholism being the most common cause of hepatic cirrhosis). In countries where hepatitis is not endemic, most malignant cancers in the liver are not primary liver cancer but metastasis (spread) of cancer from elsewhere in the body, e.g. the colon. Treatment options of liver cancer and prognosis are dependent on many factors but especially on tumor size and staging.

      There is some good news among today’s announcements. Progen Industries (PGLA), announced positive preliminary results from its Phase 2 clinical trial of PI-88 for primary liver cancer following surgical resection of the tumor. The trial demonstrated that PI-88 increased time to tumor recurrence by 76%.

The results are clinically very encouraging.  Dr Chris Parish, PI-88 founding scientist from the Australian National University commented, "I am thrilled to see such strong clinical data on a product that I have spent many years studying. This demonstrates that the early discoveries we made in collaboration with Progen are now translating into benefits for cancer patients."

      Progen is now preparing for much larger Phase 3 trial of PI-88 for the treatment of liver cancer which will include sites in the US, Taiwan, Singapore, China, Hong Kong and South Korea.

PI-88 works through inhibiting the growth of cancer new blood vessels. It also works on metastasis  ( cancer spread to other organs.) This dual mechanism of action makes PI-88 a potential alternative to current cancer treatments.

This is good news.

READ PRESS RELEASE BY THE FIRM:  Progen Reports Positive Results for Phase II Liver Cancer Trial

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