All About Malignant Mesothelioma Launches Updated Section On Mesothelioma Drug Treatments

LA JOLLA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 14, 2006--All About Malignant Mesothelioma, an online resource for information about mesothelioma causes, symptoms and treatments, has recently published a revised section on mesothelioma drug treatments.

Mesothelioma is a rare, aggressive form of cancer. Its long dormancy period after exposure to asbestos and its rarity usually mean a late-stage diagnosis. Treatment options have been limited, and the prognosis for victims is poor, with typical survival times of less than two years after diagnosis. In the last several years, however, considerable research has focused on new treatments for this disease.

Alimta (pemetrexed), manufactured and distributed by Eli Lilly and Company, when used in conjunction with Cisplatin, is approved for the treatment of patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma when surgery is not an option. Other new treatment research has focused on anti-angiogenesis, or impeding the rapid blood vessel growth that erupts during mesothelioma cancer and supplies the tumor cells. Veglin (VEGF-AS), produced by VasGene Therapeutics, Inc., is an anti-angiogenesis drug still in clinical trials, and Onconase (ranpirnase), developed and manufactured by Alfacell Corporation, is one such drug that has shown promise in the first two phases of clinical trials.

All About Malignant Mesothelioma provides more information about these mesothelioma drug treatments on the following pages:

Source: Business Wire