Israeli lab says it has made safe a powerful — but toxic — cancer treatment – The Times of Israel
Israeli scientists say they have found a way to safely administer an immunotherapy drug thought capable of saving many lives, but hitherto considered too toxic for widespread use.
The team from the Weizmann Institute of Science says it has created a new version of the medicine, adding in a specially created antibody to make it safe.
In a new peer-reviewed study, researchers say a mouse experiment indicated that the new drug is both safe and effective.
Among scientists, boosting the effectiveness of the CD40 receptor — a protein molecule that stimulates the immune system — is seen as one viable way to fight many solid tumor cancers.
Synthetic antibodies exist that do exactly this and strengthen the CD40 receptor’s function. But when given in low concentrations they do...