Entest Applies For Exploratory/Development Phase II Grant From NCI

Entest BioMedical (ENTB), a majority-owned subsidiary of Bio-Matrix Scientific, has applied for an exploratory/development phase II grant from the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

The company said that the application involves perfecting the use of cell lines for sustained release of immunologically relevant cytokines for maximum anti-tumor immune responses in treating cancer.

The company claims that the process has already been demonstrated effective on treating tumors in both rodent and canine models. The grant application has already been assigned to a scientific review group for scientific merit evaluation.

On acheiving the efficacy, the company plans to develop a commercially viable treatment for canines. The company anticipates that the treatment option could have marked effects on the human oncology market, which the National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimated at more than $72 billion in 2004.

According to the company, NCI’s SEER cancer statistics review estimates that more than 1.4m men and women in the US will be diagnosed with cancer in 2009.

David Koos, chairman and CEO of Bio-Matrix Scientific and Entest BioMedical, said: “Our goal with this research is to test a viable and groundbreaking cancer treatment, first in the veterinary oncology market and then, if successful, to move on to human clinical trials.”

Steven Josephs, principal investigator of the study, said: “If successful, this approach reduces the need for chemotherapy or radiation treatments since the enhanced immune system is engaged in eliminating cancerous tissue on its own. In doing this, we are allowing the subject to recover without the damage that generally occurs with more traditional cancer treatments.”