The Department of Defense has provided research grants of $550,000 Pietro Bertino and his team at the University of Hawaii to develop a vaccine aimed at preventing mesothelioma before it ever forms. Dr. Bertino, the head of the research team, is optimistic at the progress they’ve already seen in the animal trials. Bertino’s approach is novel in the sense that it doesn’t seek to treat the malignant mesothelial cells but rather prevent them from ever forming in the first place.
The vaccine works by targeting specific proteins requisite for mesothelioma tumor growth. Early results show the vaccine successfully eradicated mesothelioma tumor cells in mice which ultimately lead to a tumor free life in 40% of the animal subjects. If successful, the vaccine could be administered to people who have bio-markers for a predisposition to mesothelioma as well as those who have a particularly risky occupational exposure history.
Pietro Bertino has a long history in the mesothelioma research and well regarded as an expert in his field. He grew up in Italy right next to a large asbestos plant and saw firsthand the devastating health effects of the dangerous mineral. Bertino stated, “This is a different kind of intervention, my final goal is to make a preventative vaccine and help perfect it. And if it works for mesothelioma, it could be effective in preventing other kinds of cancers, too.”
To read the full article from the University of Hawaii click here.
The Paul Law Firm advocates for victims of asbestos-related diseases. If you or a loved one is suffering from mesothelioma, call the Paul Law Firm. With over 2.5 billion dollars collected for victims of asbestos exposure, we have the knowledge and the experience to fight for you. We also understand that fighting doesn’t just happen in the courtroom. It also happens in a lab where we are fighting for a cure. Check out the Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America here.
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