Combination products for treating cancer

Abstract

The present invention concerns products containing (i) at least one nucleic acid sequence coding for the human somatostatin 2 receptor protein (sst2) having the sequence SEQ ID NO: 1, ortholog or derivative thereof, (ii) at least one nucleic acid sequence coding for the human deoxycytidine kinase protein (dck) having the sequence SEQ ID NO:2, ortholog or derivative thereof, (iii) at least one nucleic acid sequence coding for the human uridine monophosphate kinase protein (umk) having the sequence SEQ ID NO: 3 ortholog or derivative thereof, and (iv) gemcitabine, as a combined preparation for simultaneous, separate, or sequential use for treating cancer in a subject.

Description

[0001]This application claims the priority of the patent application EP 07301447.4 filed on Oct. 10, 2007, which is incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The invention relates to the field of cancer, and in particular to a new products, compositions, plasmid vector and methods for cancer therapy.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Among cancer, pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive and devastating human malignancies. Its aggressiveness is illustrated by the fact that the number of estimated pancreatic cancer cases and number of pancreatic cancer-related deaths are almost identical with a minimal 5-year survival rate of 2%. Pancreatic cancer ranks at the fifth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in Western countries. So far, neither early detection nor treatment of advanced disease is possible: 85% of lesions are unresectable at the time of diagnosis, resulting in a median survival time of 4-5 months.[0004]These dismal statistics are mainly consistent...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The present invention is related to a pharmaceutical composition containing a combination of nucleic acid sequences coding for human somatostatin 2 receptor protein (SST2), deoxycytidine kinase protein (DCK), uridine monophosphate kinase protein (UMK), and gemcitabine. This combination can be used for the simultaneous, separate, or sequential treatment of cancer in a person. The invention also includes a pharmaceutical composition containing the same components, but without the option of a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. Another aspect of the invention is a plasmid vector that contains the nucleic acid sequences coding for SST2, DCK, and UMK, linked by a cleavable FMDV 2A peptide. The use of this vector for gene transfer is also described.

Problems solved by technology

So far, neither early detection nor treatment of advanced disease is possible: 85% of lesions are unresectable at the time of diagnosis, resulting in a median survival time of 4-5 months.

Unfortunately, such therapeutic options are only accessible to less than 50% of the patients diagnosed with HCC.

Therefore, the bulk of patients cannot benefit from curative therapeutic options because of large tumor size or underlying liver disease.

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