2ME2

An essay by Lena Bisset, as provided by Chrissa Gerard
Art by Dawn Vogel

SUMMARY STATEMENT

(Privileged Communication)
North American Oncology Consortium
Innovation and Impact Award

Peer Review Panel: Detection, Diagnosis, and Treatment
Meeting Date: 03/19/2019–03/21/2019

Application Number: IIA201806233
Application Status: New
Principal Investigator: Jamie Minkov
Applicant Organization: Atherton University

Project Title: A Novel Treatment for Hormone-Based Cancer
Proposed Funding Period: 09/01/2019–02/29/2020

Overall Score (out of 5.0): 4.3

Criteria Scores:

SUMMARY

In this application for an Innovation and Impact Award, the Principal Investigator (PI) presents results from animal trials indicating that 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME2), a naturally occurring compound found in pregnant humans, promotes apoptosis in cancer cells, particularly in breast, ovarian, and prostate carcinoma. Under a NAOC Career Foundation Award, the PI performed in vitro and in vivo studies, establishing the biomechanisms of cell death in malignant tumors. The treatment protocol was an IV injection of a 0.02 solution of 2ME2. The data show cancer remission in 83% of mice (breast and ovarian) and 66% of canines (prostate) with no negative side effects. The PI proposes a phase 1 clinical trial of 20 men (10 case/10 control) and 20 women (10 case/10 control) with newly diagnosed stage 3 prostate or breast cancer, with future opt in for the controls. The PI hypothesizes that 2ME2 will promote cancer cell death in hormone-based cancers and plans to establish its safety and allow for phase 2 efficacy studies.

A panel member noted that any clinical gains would be negated by an ethical breach, including the current gap in the preclinical data.

To read the rest of this story, check out the Mad Scientist Journal: Spring 2018 collection.

Lena Bisset is a research scientist and the chair of the Detection, Diagnosis, and Treatment panel. She fondly remembers when all research was performed on male mice and nobody cared what happened to them.

Chrissa Gerard is a writer and editor based in North Carolina … for now.

Dawn Vogel writes and edits both fiction and non-fiction. Although art is not her strongest suit, she’s happy to contribute occasional art to Mad Scientist Journal. By day, she edits reports for and manages an office of historians and archaeologists. In her alleged spare time, she runs a craft business and tries to find time for writing. She lives in Seattle with her awesome husband (and fellow author), Jeremy Zimmerman, and their herd of cats. For more of Dawn’s work visit http://historythatneverwas.com/.

“2ME2” is © 2018 Chrissa Gerard
Art accompanying story is © 2018 Dawn Vogel