Rainforest Drug May Save Tasmanian Devil

SUNDAY TASMANIAN - A drug discovered in the rainforests of Australia's far northeast is being hailed as a possible cure for facial tumors which are killing off the Tasmanian devil, The Sunday Tasmanian reported.

The drug has already been used to cure facial tumors in dogs, cats and horses, and now researchers want the opportunity to try to save the devil, which is a carnivorous marsupial only found in the wild on Australia's island state.

The survival of the species, which is about the size of a small dog, is under threat because of the facial tumor disease.

The state's devil population is believed to have decreased by 80 percent since the highly contagious facial tumor disease was first noticed in 1996.

Scientists have been searching for a way to combat the disease, with some heralding the drug from the Queensland rainforests. However, at least one expert on the disease doubts the new drug will work on devils.

The rainforest drug, known as EBC-46, is extracted from the brushwood tree. It has had remarkable success in facial tumors in other animals.

Queensland life science company QBiotics Ltd chief executive Dr. Victoria Gordon said the drug could definitely be used on the Tasmanian icon.

EBC-46 has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of solid-tumor cancers in animals.

Clinical trials have resulted in more than 100 dogs, cats and horses being successfully treated for a diverse range of solid inoperable tumors including melanomas, sarcomas, carcinomas, mast cell tumors and sarcoids.

The drug, which can be directly injected into the tumor or spread as a topical gel, stimulates the immune system to destroy the tumor.

It is expected to be available for use on animals by veterinarians towards the end of this year and human trials will begin early next year.

Hamish McCallum, the former senior scientist of the devil facial tumor disease program, was skeptical about the drug. "The devil tumor is unique, so a drug that works on other cancers wouldn't necessarily be expected to work on the devil's cancer," he said.

Read more: http://www.themercury.com.au/article/2010/06/20/153431_tasmania-news.html

(This article is provided by NewsCore, which aggregates news from around News Corporation.)

NewsCore: Drug discovered in rainforests may save iconic Tasmanian devils in Australia -- The Sunday Tasmanian
By NewsCore

A drug discovered in the rainforests of Australia's far northeast is being hailed as a possible cure for facial tumors which are killing off the Tasmanian devil, The Sunday Tasmanian reported.

The drug has already been used to cure facial tumors in dogs, cats and horses, and now researchers want the opportunity to try to save the devil, which is a carnivorous marsupial only found in the wild on Australia's island state.

The survival of the species, which is about the size of a small dog, is under threat because of the facial tumor disease.

The state's devil population is believed to have decreased by 80 percent since the highly contagious facial tumor disease was first noticed in 1996.

Scientists have been searching for a way to combat the disease, with some heralding the drug from the Queensland rainforests. However, at least one expert on the disease doubts the new drug will work on devils.

The rainforest drug, known as EBC-46, is extracted from the brushwood tree. It has had remarkable success in facial tumors in other animals.

Queensland life science company QBiotics Ltd chief executive Dr. Victoria Gordon said the drug could definitely be used on the Tasmanian icon.

EBC-46 has the potential to revolutionize the treatment of solid-tumor cancers in animals.

Clinical trials have resulted in more than 100 dogs, cats and horses being successfully treated for a diverse range of solid inoperable tumors including melanomas, sarcomas, carcinomas, mast cell tumors and sarcoids.

The drug, which can be directly injected into the tumor or spread as a topical gel, stimulates the immune system to destroy the tumor.

It is expected to be available for use on animals by veterinarians towards the end of this year and human trials will begin early next year.

Hamish McCallum, the former senior scientist of the devil facial tumor disease program, was skeptical about the drug. "The devil tumor is unique, so a drug that works on other cancers wouldn't necessarily be expected to work on the devil's cancer," he said.

Source: Sunday Tasmanian