Category Archives: EphB4

District Council 16 Aim to Cure Mesothelioma Clayshoot

October 8, 2018

Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America MesoRFA.org
Speaking Founding Board Member and Chief Financial Officer Jerry Neil Paul tells sponsors and supporters where their hard earned donations are going and how they are helping to develop new treatment options for mesothelioma.

The Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America would like to thank the Southern California Pipetrades District Council 16 for organizing another amazing event and rounding out our 2018 fundraising season! Business Manager Mike Layton and Director of Organizing John Ferruccio have done an outstanding job in making this event what it has become, growing every year in popularity with more participants and supporters. This year the event brought in over $50,000 and as always, 100% of the net proceeds of the event will go directly to mesothelioma research!

Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America MesoRFA.orgSouthern California District Council 16 Organizer John Ferruccio thanks sponsors for their continued support before starting the alwys popular raffle. We cannot thank John enough for everything he does for the Foundation and growing the events to what they have become.

This year we returned to the Moore ‘N Moore Sporting Clays in the San Fernando Valley, CA, despite a fire completely destroying the facility in 2017. Moore ‘N Moore did a fantastic job in getting their operation back up and running and hosting the event, hats off to Cory Moore and his staff. Participating in the event on behalf of the Foundation were Board Member Jerry Neil Paul, Assistant Executive Director Shane Rucker, Medical Advisory Committee Member Jonathan Paul and Attorney Josh Paul, who all had a great time at the event. We all spent a relaxing day in the canyons of the Angeles National Forest, taking a shot at breaking sporting clays, before gathering for a delicious lunch.

Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America MesoRFA.org Executive Director Elizabeth Ann Paul thanks event sponsors and everyone who came out to Aim to Cure Mesothelioma before giving everyone a brief history of how the Foundation was formed in 2001 and how far we have come since then.

Supporters heard where and how their generous donations would be used in helping to find better treatment options for this brutal disease. DC16 Organizer John Ferruccio began by thanking those who come out to support the events, as well as those who volunteer their time. Elizabeth and Jerry Paul spoke on behalf of the Foundation, thanking sponsors who continue to support the cause and have been instrumental in the success of the event as well as in the development of new treatments. Jerry Paul highlighted one of the successes with the immunotherapy treatment PD-1 antibody being used in combination with EphB-4 and the promise shown in the laboratory.

Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America MesoRFA.org Assistant Executive Director Shane Rucker and Southern California District Council 16 Business Manager Mike Layton before heading out on the course. Thank you Mike for your leadership and dedication to this noble cause.

The Foundation would like to personally thank all of those who organized and supported this year’s event. Without the support of people such as DC16 Organizer John Ferruccio and DC 16 Business Manager Mike Layton, this event and the great turnout would not be possible. They have done a fantastic job, year after year, and we cannot be more proud of working with them. THANK YOU !!!

16th Annual Golf Invitational by the Southern California Pipetrades District Coucil 16

July 16, 2018

Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America MesoRFA.org
Speaking Executive Director Elizabeth Ann Paul and Board Member Jerry Paul thanking all of the event planners, participants and supporters for making the event a success year after year. We cannot thank you all enough!

Everyone at the Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America would like to congratulate the Southern California Pipetrades District Council 16 for organizing an amazing event! We saw a huge turnout for the 16th Annual Golf Invitational, with a full field of 144 golfers and supporters, coming together for this great cause. Together we generated over $100,000 for mesothelioma research! As always, 100 % of the donations received will go directly toward research into clinical trials and treatment options for mesothelioma. Year after year, the organizers at District Council 16 have done an amazing job planning and promoting this event year and we cannot thank them enough for the years of support and dedication. THANK YOU!

Pipefitters Union NewsChairman of the Medical Advisory Committee Dr. Parkash Gill with UA Local 582 Steamfitter and a longtime supporter of the Foundation, Bob Modica.

Participating in the event on behalf of the Foundation was Executive Director Elizabeth Ann Paul, Board Member Jerry Neil Paul, Chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee, Dr. Parkash Gill, and Assistant Executive Director, Shane Rucker. After a great day of golf, Jerry and Elizabeth Paul spoke together, thanking everyone for supporting the event year after year, and highlighting the developments made at USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Parkash Gill, Chairman of the Foundation’s Medical Advisory Committee then highlighted the use of immunotherapy treatment PD-1 antibody in combination with EphB-4 and the successes shown in the laboratory. Dr. Gill added that there has been several recent research publications in collaboration with doctors affiliated with UC Davis and University of Chicago regarding EphB-4!

Pipefitters Union NewsSouthern California District 16 Organizer John Ferruccio has been instrumental in the planning and success of the Golf Invitational benefiting mesothelioma research.
Pipefitters Union News
Board Member Jerry Paul with the newest member of the Foundation’s Medical Advisory Committee, Jonathan Paul.

Roger Hamilton Memorial Golf Invitational

June 25, 2018

Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America MesoRFA.org
Heat & frost Insulators Local 16 Business Manager Mel Brashears and the Foundation’s very own Elizabeth and Jerry Neil Paul prepare for the day’s festivities.

On June 25, 2018, the Roger Hamilton Memorial Golf Invitational returned for its 16th presentation to the Napa Valley Country Club generating funds for mesothelioma cancer research and clinical trials that will lead to better treatment options. This year’s event saw a turnout of 140 golfers and generated approximately $65,000! As always, 100% of the funds generated will go toward supporting Dr. Parkash Gill’s research at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center.

Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America MesoRFA.org
Local 16 Business Manager Mel Brashears and International Vice President Doug Gamble(center). We cannot thank you and your team at Local 16 for putting on a great event and supporting this great cause.

The Roger Hamilton Event would not be possible without the continued support of Doug Gamble and Mel Breshears of the Heat and Frost Insulators. For the third year, Gamble, the International Vice President, and Breshears, the Business Manager of Local 16, have planned and hosted the event. We thank them both as they have taken it upon themselves to ensure the continuation of the event and the honoring of Roger Hamilton’s memory. To date, the Roger Hamilton Memorial Golf Invitational has raised approximately 1.7 million dollars for mesothelioma research! For the continued success, we owe our gratitude to the Western States Conference Heat and Frost Insulators, the Local 16 Heat and Frost Insulators, as well as all of the building trades groups and vendors who continue to support the battle to defeat mesothelioma cancer.

Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America MesoRFA.org
Chairman of the Foundation’s Medical Advisory Committee, Dr. Parkash Gill, speaks to guests highlighting the great promise EPh-B4 and PD-1 have shown in studies.

After a great round of golf, supporters reconvened in the clubhouse for drinks, dinner, and learn how their donations are being used. Doug Gamble and Mel Breshears were the first to speak, thanking both the sponsors for their support and the volunteers for their roles in making the event a success. Elizabeth Paul, Executive Director of the Foundation informed the sponsors about the history of the Foundation, pointing out its critical help in the development of better treatment options for mesothelioma. Dr. Parkash Gill, Chairman of the Foundation’s Medical Advisory Committee then highlighted the use of immunotherapy treatment PD-1 antibody in combination with EphB-4 and the successes shown in the laboratory. Dr. Gill added that there have been several recent research publications in collaboration with doctors affiliated with UC Davis and University of Chicago regarding EphB-4! To close, the two acknowledged the continual support from the staff and family of the Local 16 Heat and Frost Insulators, and for their role in assuming the direction of the event.

Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America MesoRFA.org
Jerry Neil Paul and Local 16’s Mark Plubell having fun together before a great round on the course.

An event of this magnitude takes too many people to thank, but certain individuals played a pivotal role in ensuring its success. To Committee Chairman Doug Gamble, Co-Chair Mel Breshears, Stan Danielson, Bill Hodges, Mark Plubell, Ben Espinoza, Chris Greaney, Fortino Curiel, China Soto, Geoff Millar, Alan Pierce, Jerry and Elizabeth Paul, and Shane Rucker: we wish to express our greatest appreciation. Without your efforts and energy this event would not have been possible. Your enduring support guarantees continued research into mesothelioma. With sustained effort, a cure will hopefully be found!

Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America MesoRFA.org
The Foundation’s Executive Director, Elizabeth Ann Paul, Founding Board Members, Jerry Neil Paul and Jim Kellogg, and Assistant Executive Director, Shane Rucker represent the Foundation at the Roger Hamilton Memorial Golf Tournament.

California State Pipes Trade: Aim to Cure Mesothelioma

June 8, 2018

Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America MesoRFA.org
Jim and Jerry-Jim Kellogg and Jerry Neil Paul thank supporters and participants who come out year after year to support this great cause. We had a great turnout with over 160 shooters!

The June 2018 “Aim to Cure” event hosted by the California State Pipes trade along with Foundation Board Member and International Pipes trade Representative Jim Kellogg (Retired) was successful in netting over $70,000 for mesothelioma research!

Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America MesoRFA.org
Jerry Shane Local 16-Jerry Paul and Shane Rucker with Local 16 Heat and Frost Insulators.

This year’s Aim to Cure event saw a beautiful day and a great turn out of participants to support this great cause. We had a record number of donors supporting the event and witnessed over 160 shooters come out and Aim to Cure Mesothelioma! We returned to the Birdslanding Hunting Preserve and Sporting Clay facility in Birdslanding, California which always provides a great venue for the event. Representing the Foundation were Board Members, Jim Kellogg and Jerry Neil Paul and Assistant Executive Director, Shane Rucker.

Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America MesoRFA.org
California Pipes trade Aim To Cure Mesothelioma 1st Place-Operating Engineers, Bran Eubanks, Steve Lewis, Al Sousa and Greg Gassaway take the victory again. Amazing shooting guys!

After making their way through the course, supporters and participants joined for lunch and the always popular raffle. Jim Kellogg kicked off the festivities by thanking everyone in attendance and spoke about the importance of staying involved. Jim then passed the mic to the Foundations Founding Board Member, Jerry Neil Paul, who talked about the advances being made and our hopes for the future. Under the leadership of Dr. Parkash Gill at the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, with the help of the National Cancer Institute, the combination of immunotherapy treatment PD1 antibody will be used with Dr. Gill’s treatment EphB-4. With the support of participants in events such as “Aim to Cure” advances in mesothelioma treatment options will become a reality.

Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America MesoRFA.org
California Pipes trade Aim To Cure Mesothelioma 2nd Place-TNT Industrial Contractors, John Twist, Scott Luke, Brad Ariola and Jerry Martin with a great showing of this year’s event, taking home 2nd place.

As always, 100% of the money raised during the “Aim to Cure” events will go towards mesothelioma cancer research. With these sizable donations we can all be assured that Dr. Gill’s research at USC/ Norris Comprehensive Medical Center will move in the right direction. Thank you to all who participated and Jim Kellogg for putting together a fantastic event!

Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America MesoRFA.org
California Pipes trade Aim To Cure Mesothelioma 3rd Place-Greg Mitchell, Mark Mitchell, Marcus Reeves and Chuck Scandyln put together a great team of individual sponsors who are always out supporting the great cause. Thank you all!

New Drug Targets Cancer Caused By Asbestos

May 26, 2014

Mesothelioma lung cancer can come to those persons who loved, and simply hugged their parent who worked around asbestos.  For example, now at age 45, Heather Von St. James recalls her father working as a building demolition employee around materials containing asbestos.  He would return home each day thoroughly covered by dirt and dust. She remembers how much she enjoyed hugging her father each night.mesothelioma-studies

By age 36, Heather was diagnosed with mesothelioma, the deadly yet to be cured cancer connected with exposure to asbestos particles.  Mesothelioma can take decades to develop and it often kills within months after symptoms appear. Heather was a new mother to a 3-month-old daughter, and she was told her only chance to live was by having a lung removed.

In 2013, more than 107,000 people died worldwide from mesothelioma.  However, Heather opted for the surgery instead, and removed the disease in time to stay alive.   According to Ms. St. James, “There’s a lot of people who don’t.”

Fortunately for other people with mesothelioma, or those that will discover they have the deadly disease, a new wave of drugs developed and being tested are giving new hope that mesothelioma cancer may be slowed or stopped.  Drug researchers, like Verastem Inc. (VSTM), GlaxoSmithKline Plc (GSK), and Dr. Parkash Gill of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center have announced that they are testing new cancer fighting drugs.

According to Dean Fennell, a lead researcher doing a trial study with a new drug by Verastem:

“[Mesothelioma] is not a curable cancer; it’s not a disease that can be wiped out completely by surgery as you see with lung cancer. Finding ways to stop that process or slow it down can have big implications for patient survival.”

Unlike lung cancers, Mesothelioma affects the cell tissues that cover the lungs.  It can also affect the tissues around the heart and abdominal organs.  Like all cancers, mesothelioma is treated by doctors with cutting the cancer tissue out, or irradiating it, but both methods sometimes have dangerous side effects.

New Drugs Offer New Hope to Replace Old Treatments

Verastem (based out of Cambridge, Massachusetts) has developed a drug (VS-6063) that is now in late-stage human testing. Consecutively, Glaxo (based out of London) has a compound that is being tried in combination with another product in an early-stage study. The drugs from these two companies each target an enzyme involved in cell movement that permits the cancer to spread.

The enzyme is a key marker of aggressive cancers and is overabundant in many tumors that spread quickly. Also, patients with an inactive gene called Neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2) respond well to the test drugs being developed where nearly half of mesothelioma patients have inactive NF2s.

In the U.S. and Europe, the VS-6063 treatment has been granted orphan drug status.  This means that Verastem with their VS-6063 product is given seven (7) years of exclusive marketing.  A Bloomberg report states that according to four (4) analysts, the VS-6063 drug could possibly generate $450 million in sales by 2019 if the product is cleared for public use.

Earliest Stage

Defactinib is the medicine that targets early stage cancer stem cells.  These are considered to be theorigin of the cancer and frequently are resistant to existing therapies.   The cancer stem cells for mesothelioma are known to be particularly resistant to chemotherapy.

Now, Mr. Dean Fennell does not have an economic connection with Verastem, nor is he a paid consultant to the company.  And yet, Mr. Fennell (who is chairman of thoracic medical oncology at the University of Leicester in England) stated during an interview:

“The hope is we can suppress the cancer in such a way that it becomes a more chronic disease, rather than have a disease that’s going to progress relentlessly and kill the patient”

Verastem with a market value of about $215 million is developing the drug assisted by several renowned pharmaceutical companies providing guidance. The development team includes former Genzyme Corp. CEO Henri Termeer; Human Genome Project leader Eric Lander; and Phillip Sharp, a Nobel laureate at Biogen Idec Inc.

Other Drug Combinations

Under a license from Pfizer Inc., AstraZeneca Plc of London is testing a drug called tremelimumab, on mesothelioma in a mid-stage trial. The treatment works differently from the other developmental drugs in that it helps the patient’s immune system to recognize and kill cancer cells.  According to

Carolyn Buser-Doepner (VP for tumor signaling at Glaxo, the U.K.’s biggest drugmaker), there are plans to combine a new drug GSK2256098 with some other medicines to potentially make cancer treatments more effective.  In one early-stage trial, it will be paired up with Glaxo’s Mekinist, which is approved for melanoma.  She said, “The pre-clinical data are very encouraging. We’re very excited about it.”

Boehringer’s Drug

A fourth drug, nintedanib from Germany’s Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH, is in early-stage testing for mesothelioma, according to a spokesman. Unlike the previous mentioned medicines, this one works by targeting proteins directly related to the formation of blood vessels that feed tumors.

According to the director of research at the British Lung Foundation, Noel Snell, the kind of research studies most likely to yield improvements in cancer care are those that investigate the nature of the disease itself.  Still, treatments being tested today on mesothelioma are most encouraging.

Snell said in a statement:

“It is shameful that this kind of fundamental research remains so drastically underfunded, and that the number of trials available for mesothelioma patients is still dwarfed so dramatically by the number available to other cancer patients.”

Dr. Gill and EphB4 Treatment

For several years, Dr. Parkash Gill of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center has proceeded with Phase I Clinical Trials with the new cancer fighting drug Eph-B4 made available to qualifying mesothelioma patients. With generous support from the Mesothelioma Research
Foundation of America
, the initial Phase I Trial Eph-B4 has been available to newly diagnosed patients who have not Ask Dr. Gill about the most recent clinical trials avaialbleundergone any conventional lung cancer treatment options, as well as those patients who have exhausted all other treatment options such as surgery and chemotherapy.

The results of these recent clinical trials have truly been exciting as Dr. Gill reports that Eph-B4 is showing great promise as a solo treatment, or in conjunction with other drugs like Alimta, Cisplatin and Carboplatin.

The research of Dr. Gill, in conjunction with similar studies by other Oncologists, have improved the understanding among Primary Care physicians about the detection process, and given them better options to offer patients with lung cancer including mesothelioma.

Eph-B4 as a Better Treatment

Treatments have also gotten better because we now understand two principles: a)molecular changes in lung cancer with very specific mutations; and b)medication (like Eph-B4) that is specific to addressing the treatment of only one cellular abnormality.

As Dr. Gill with the Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America continues the goal to make mesothelioma a disease of the past, our understanding of the human body immune system has also improved.    From this we have Eph-B4, an immune specific treatment that assists a patient with lung cancer to live longer with fewer side effects.

His studies have contributed to the evolution of mesothelioma cancer research over the last decade.  Collectively, researchers are producing a canonical story in which the range of research works has grown a consensus among recognized oncologists and Primary Care physicians of a “great” or “major” break through with the two principles mentioned above.  Basically, we can now identify subsets of cancer in a patient at the molecular level and bring a retardant treatment (immunity) to that cancer in those patients.  And this observation continues to this day to be repeated by many research projects.  More than ever before, researchers continue to identify specific cancer mutations and use similar drugs to shut down these cancers and improve patient survival.

Asbestos: The Miracle Fiber That Kills

Asbestos was named the “miracle fiber,” but has become the topic and issue of many lawsuits claiming losses as well as damages from illness caused by asbestos products.  It was commonly used in building materials such as insulation for years because it was cheap, abundant and heat-resistant.

Many countries have banned asbestos mining.  However, the World Health Organization estimates that as many as 125 million people worldwide continue to be exposed to asbestos either at work or in their homes because it continues to be mined and made into  products from in RussiaChina and India.

Unfortunately, mesothelioma cancer can lay dormant for as long as 50 years before spreading, which explains why rates have risen long after many countries have banned the asbestos.

New cases of mesothelioma cancer in the United Kingdom, where asbestos was restricted starting in the 1980s and outlawed fully in 2006, were 2,125 in 2012.  These numbers are expected to peak in 2015.  In the United States, the number of new cancer cases has been stable, hovering around 3,000 per year since 2000.  This stability was expected because of extensive efforts put into public education.  Still, a complete ban of Asbestos in the U.S. was overturned in the courts.  One of the world’s largest asbestos exporters, Canada, closed its remaining mines in 2011.

An Asian Asbestos Mesothelioma Cancer ‘Tsunami’

In Japan, asbestos was banned in 2006, the Japanese government pays the full cost of treatment for related illnesses, and rate of new cases of cancer are predicted to continue rising until 2027.  The director of a World Health Organization occupational health group, Ken Takahashi, has warned Asian governments to prepare themselves for an “asbestos tsunami.”

Again, Dean Fennell reminds us:

 “In the early ’70s, this was an incredibly rare disease. Now my clinic is full of patients with mesothelioma. Because the rates are increasing, we have a real need now to identify effective treatment.”

A cure for mesothelioma can not be found fast enough.  Still, there are survivors like Heather Von St. James, who breaths with great effort during Minnesota winters with her one remaining lung, and she volunteers her time to be a coach to other mesothelioma patients.   By her personal experience with mesothelioma, she wants other victims of mesothelioma to understand:

 “If they can keep it under control,
that’s the first hope.”

 

Eph-B4: An Improvement and Better Options for Lung Cancer Patients

PRESS RELEASE
February 23, 2014

Ask Dr. Gill about the most recent clinical trials avaialbleFor several years, Dr. Parkash Gill of the USCNorrisComprehensiveCancerCenter has proceeded with Phase I Clinical Trials with the new cancer fighting drug Eph-B4 made available to qualifying mesothelioma patients. With generous support from the Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America, the initial Phase I Trial Eph-B4 has been available to newly diagnosed patients who have not undergone any conventional lung cancer treatment options, as well as those patients who have exhausted all other treatment options such as surgery and chemotherapy.

The results of these recent clinical trials have truly been exciting as Dr. Gill reports that Eph-B4 is showing great promise as a solo treatment, or in conjunction with other drugs like Alimta, Cisplatin and Carboplatin.

The research of Dr. Gill, in conjunction with similar studies by other Oncologists, have improved the understanding among Primary Care physicians about the detection process, and given them better options to offer patients with lung cancer including mesothelioma.

Improvements for cancer patients

Early detection of lung cancer has improved with the use of Spiral CT scanners.  Computed tomography (CT) is an imaging procedure that uses special x-ray equipment to create a series of detailed pictures, or scans, of areas inside the body. It is also called computerized tomography and computerized axial tomography (CAT) scanning.   In cancer, CT may be used to help detect abnormal growths; to help diagnose tumors; to provide information about the extent, or stage, of disease; to help in guiding biopsy procedures or in planning treatment; to determine whether a cancer is responding to treatment; and to monitor for recurrence.  For people who do not have lung cancer but are at risk, the proper and early use of a CT scanner with annual inspections can reduce mortality rates in the US by 20%.

Eph-B4 as a Better Treatment

Treatments have also gotten better because we now understand two principles: a)molecular changes in lung cancer with very specific mutations; and b)medication (like Eph-B4) that is specific to addressing the treatment of only one cellular abnormality.  If you have symptoms of digestive problems, you should seek assistance regarding how long after taking Pepcid can I take Zofran.

As Dr. Gill with the Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America continues the goal to make mesothelioma a disease of the past, our understanding of the human body immune system has also improved.    From this we have Eph-B4, an immune specific treatment that assists a patient with lung cancer to live longer with fewer side effects.

Our research has contributed to the evolution of mesothelioma cancer research over the last decade.  Collectively, researchers are producing a canonical story in which the range of research works has grown a consensus among recognized oncologists and Primary Care physicians of a “great” or “major” break through with the two principles mentioned above.  Basically, we can now identify subsets of cancer in a patient at the molecular level and bring a retardant treatment (immunity) to that cancer in those patients.  And this observation continues to this day to be repeated by many research projects.  More than ever before, researchers continue to identify specific cancer mutations and use similar drugs to shut down these cancers and improve patient survival.

The Future in Lung Cancer Research

The development of research in cancer resistance will be the next wave of understanding and will lead research teams into novel ways to overcome cancer resistance to treatments.  This will include discovery efforts through second and third generation cancer inhibitors; incorporation of other cancer targets that may be found; and possibly adding inhibitors that may change protein folding associated with molecular cancer mutation.  Each new discovery makes an opportunity to also create a specific, focused drug treatment.

Going forward with mesothelioma cancer research, our researchers will also begin defining those cancer mutations in which there is no antigen driver.  We will learn how to integrate targeted agents, how to sequence and / or combine them to inhibit multiple cancer growth signals.  Future research will also teach us how to do inhibitor agent integration so that the toxicity of the treatment is most effective and safe for the cancer patient.

Lung Cancer Early Detection Saves Lives

The cancer research industry and medical doctors practicing lung cancer treatment will become more proficient at explaining the benefits of the complex investigation associated with lung cancer screening tests.  Primary care physicians will become more knowledgeable and comfortable with their understanding of the new research about lung cancer.  Presentations about lung cancer screening and its benefits will help persons at risk of lung cancer to have less fear about the process and discover how screening saves lives; maybe their life.  While considering the costs and benefits of lung cancer screening, one must also balance the perspective with the knowledge of 160,000 persons who die each year from lung cancer, which many might be saved by choosing lung cancer screening.

Phase II Clinical Trials of Eph-B4 to Soon Begin

Dr. Gill has several mesothelioma cancer victims currently in the Phase I clinical trial using the Eph-B4 drug, and being treated at USCNorrisComprehensiveCancerCenter in Los Angeles.  The improved results these cancer patients are displaying are very encouraging to the USC Norris cancer research team.  Consequently, Dr. Gill has recently received permission from the FDA to enter into clinical trials for Phase II.  This study will proceed and include cancer patients with mesothelioma as well as pancreatic cancer.

Contact Dr. Gill for more information: (800) 909-6376 or www.mesorfa.org (ask Dr. Gill)

Reference:

  • Dr. Parkash S. Gill is a professor of Medicine and Pathology and leads the MesoRFA.org research team.
  • The Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America has a mission: fund research that will lead to the quickest cure for mesothelioma. Since 2001, the foundation has funded the Cancer Research Laboratory under the supervision of Dr. Gill at the USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center in Los Angeles.  Dr. Gill (a board certified oncologist and hematologist) has received FDA approval to provide Clinical Trials for lung cancer patients using new treatment drugs with research 100% funded by the foundation.  We are all very excited at the possibilities of a more effective treatment over what presently is available for lung cancer victims.

Dr. Parkash Gill and Novel Therapeutic Targets (EphB4, Axk, GRP78) in Pancreatic Cancer

English: Gene expression pattern of the EPHB4 ...
Gene expression pattern of the EPHB4 gene

Ephrin type-B receptor 4 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the EPHB4 gene.[1][2]

Ephrin receptors and their ligands, the ephrins, mediate numerous developmental processes, particularly in the nervous system. Based on their structures and sequence relationships, ephrins are divided into the ephrin-A (EFNA) class, which are anchored to the membrane by a glycosylphosphatidylinositol linkage, and the ephrin-B (EFNB) class, which are transmembrane proteins. The Eph family of receptors are divided into 2 groups based on the similarity of their extracellular domain sequences and their affinities for binding ephrin-A and ephrin-B ligands. Ephrin receptors make up the largest subgroup of the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) family. The protein encoded by this gene binds to ephrin-B2 and plays an essential role in vascular development.[2][3]

APA/Hirshberg Symposium: Celebrating 10 Years of the Hirshberg Seed Grant THERAPY Novel Therapeutic Targets (EphB4, Axk, GRP78) in Pancreatic Cancer Dr. Parkash Gill.

  1. Bennett BD, Wang Z, Kuang WJ, Wang A, Groopman JE, Goeddel DV, Scadden DT (Jun 1994). “Cloning and characterization of HTK, a novel transmembrane tyrosine kinase of the EPH subfamily”. J Biol Chem 269 (19): 14211–8. PMID 8188704.
  2.  Jump up to:a b “Entrez Gene: EPHB4 EPH receptor B4”.
  3. Jump up Gerety SS, Wang HU, Chen ZF, Anderson DJ (1999). “Symmetrical mutant phenotypes of the receptor EphB4 and its specific transmembrane ligand ephrin-B2 in cardiovascular development.”. Mol. Cell 4 (3): 403–14. doi:10.1016/S1097-2765(00)80342-1PMID 10518221.