On November 30, 2021 PharmaCyte Biotech, Inc. (NASDAQ: PMCB), a biotechnology company focused on developing cellular therapies for cancer and diabetes using its signature live-cell encapsulation technology, Cell-in-a-Box, reported the commencement of a pivotal study to determine if the treatment PharmaCyte uses for locally advanced, inoperable pancreatic cancer—Cell-in-a-Box (CypCaps) combined with the cancer killing prodrug ifosfamide—can also delay the rate of production and accumulation of malignant ascites (Press release, PharmaCyte Biotech, NOV 30, 2021, View Source [SID1234596280]). This is fluid that accumulates in the abdominal cavity from various cancers.
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PharmaCyte’s Chief Executive Officer, Kenneth L. Waggoner, said, "We are enthusiastic to relaunch our malignant ascites program and resume our work on developing a treatment for malignant ascites. We plan to conduct another preclinical study in Germany with Heidelberg Pharma that mimics an earlier study which showed the production of malignant ascites can be delayed by our cancer treatment. The cancer cells we will be using in the study have been ordered, and the design of the protocol is underway.
"The Chairman of our Medical and Scientific Advisory Board, Dr. Matthias Löhr, is overseeing the study. We will be using the same animal study model that Dr. Löhr used in the earlier study that showed promise."
Malignant ascites is fluid secreted by abdominal tumors which includes liver, breast, colon, stomach, intestine, ovarian and uterine cancers. This fluid contains cancer cells that can seed and form new tumors throughout the abdomen. Malignant ascites accumulates in the abdominal cavity, causing swelling of the abdomen, severe breathing difficulties and extreme pain. It must be removed on a periodic basis, which is painful and costly.
Currently, there is no available therapy that prevents or delays the production and accumulation of malignant ascites. PharmaCyte plans to change the treatment landscape for malignant ascites fluid using its treatment.
To learn more about PharmaCyte’s pancreatic cancer treatment and how it works inside the body to treat locally advanced, inoperable pancreatic cancer, we encourage you to watch the company’s documentary video complete with medical animations at: View Source