Mesothelioma Cancer & Lung Disease

Lovastatin – manufactured by Merck, Sharp & Dohme is a fungal metabolite and is predominantly used as a cholesterol reducing drug i.e. in the treatment of ‘hypercholesterolemia’. According to a study conducted by the ‘Department of Medicine, University of Minnesota, and Minneapolis’ in 1998, it has shown some promising results in the laboratory clinical trials.

Tests showed that Lovastatin inhibited mesothelioma cell viability (cell growth) – see labatory slides below, i.e. reference figure (A) compared to untreated mesothelial cells – reference figure (B).

Both chemotherapy and radiation treatment for mesothelioma have been shown to produce toxic side effects for mesothelioma patients and is not considered as a cure for mesothelioma, whereas Lovastatin is a widely used and well tolerated pharmaceutical drug that can substantially inhibit mesothelioma growth and   promote tumour-cell apoptosis (cell death).

Dr. Dan Sterman’ one of the worlds leading researchers on gene therapy from the University of Pennsylvania points out that it would be a little premature to get too excited at this stage as Lovastatin has only been tested on mesothelial cells in vitro (test tube), Also, like with many rarer diseases  - companies tend to target the more prevalent diseases, thus making it more difficult to fund the resources that are necessary to finance the very much needed clinical trials.

 Hopefully – It won’t be too long before Lovastatin can offer fresh hope to mesothelioma sufferers.

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