Getting some press in Australia currently is a story about a trial starting today in Melbourne. The trial will assess the efficacy of CUV1647 (also known as melanotan) to protect against skin cancer in patients who have had organ transplants. Patients who have received organ transplants are at a much higher risk of contracting skin cancer because of the immune suppressive drugs that they must take.
The trial will continue for 2 years and will involve 150 patients receiving a dose every 2 months.
This will be the first trial for skin cancer, previous CUV1647 trials have been for Polymorphic Light Eruption (PLE) and fair skinned individuals.
The Courier Mail and Herald Sun lead with a quite enticing sentence –
A PILL that gives a perfect tan in two days and may prevent skin cancer could be available within two years.
Aaaah if only it was that easy.
It is definitely a good move ; finding a main stream condition like skin cancer to trial against. This will surely speed up the approval process of this melanin stimulating hormone. Lots of work to be done to meet the suggested 2010 approval date.
I think the "grain of rice under the skin" sounds so much better than regularly sticking a needle into your side as those experimenting with Melanotan II describe !
From: Our Product > CUV1647
In-vitro studies demonstrated that CUV1647 is between 10 to 1000 more potent1 than our endogenous (natural) peptide, a-MSH. In fact, clinical studies conducted by Clinuvel have confirmed the increased effects by CUV1647.
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A subset of this program will be a study to determine the effects of CUV1647 in immune-compromised individuals. These subjects will be chosen from a population of organ transplant patients who are particularly prone to develop AK’s and skin cancer after only minimal exposure to UVR.
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Clinuvel Pharmaceuticals has the worldwide licence to intellectual property covering the use of analogues of -MSH invented by scientists at the University of Arizona.
I think melanotan and sansrosa are the two most exciting therapies for rosacea coming up.
They both do completely new things that can’t be accomplished now.
I hope and pray that in a few years, people won’t have to suffer like I have.
Dear Sir / Madamme,
Any chance helping with trials. I am extremely fair skinned and live in Melbourne.
Cheers
Peter
Hello Peter,
I have no idea if they are looking for more trial participants – perhaps contacting them via their web site at http://www.clinuvel.com/en/contact/ to find out more information.
davidp.