CENTRE COUNTY, Pa. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – After years of animal testing, researchers at Penn State have developed a therapy to treat some of the most resistant cancers without damaging any healthy cells, and that treatment is now in the early stages of testing on humans.
James and Bernadette Adair are both scientists and researchers at Penn State University.
Married 27 years, they’ve loved doing everything together, except battling cancer. Bernie was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007.
“We were still dealing with me when Jim was diagnosed,” Bernadette told Ivanhoe.
Doctors found Jim’s colon cancer in 2008. Both were treated, and are now cancer-free. Ironically, even before his or his wife’s diagnosis, James had been working to develop a new treatment for cancer through nanotechnology; manipulating cells at the molecular level.
It’s called ceramide nanoliposome. James Adair, PhD, Biomedical Engineer at Penn State University explained, “It was at that time an experimental chemotherapeutic that had unique properties.”
The ceramide nanoliposome is infused into the body. Because of the tiny size and structure, the nanoparticles travel easily through the body and can slip into tumors; killing the deadly cells and leaving healthy cells intact.
Jim formed a separate company, Keystone Nano, to continue the research; especially for cancers that have few other effective treatments, like liver cancer.
“The animal models have shown great efficacy against that cancer,” Jeff Davidson, CEO of Keystone Nano stated.
James continued, “Kill the cancer, do no harm to the patient. To someone like me who is a cancer survivor. That’s awesome.”
A development that’s a decade too late for Jim and Bernie Adair, but may help countless cancer patients live full lives down the road.
The therapy has been approved by the FDA for phase one clinical trials at three U.S. institutions: the Greenebaum Cancer Center of the University of Maryland, the Medical University of South Carolina and the University of Virginia Cancer Center.
Researchers are testing the dosing levels on cancer patients for whom other therapies have not worked.
Contributors to this news report include: Cyndy McGrath, Field and Supervising Producer; Kirk Manson, Videographer; Gabriella Battistiol, Assistant Producer; Roque Correa, Editor.