An Important Week in the Fight Against Cancer

This is an important week in the fight against cancer - a new treatment for advanced prostate cancer, Provenge is up for review by an FDA advisory panel on March 29th. That a new drug is up for review is not itself a major event - the core technology used in this treatment is what, long term, is very important in the multi-generation war on cancer. Provenge is designed to stimulate the body's immune system to do much of the heavy lifting against cancer on its' own. Blood is taken from a patient, sent to a facility where it is treated with Provenge, activating certain dendritic cells that in turn, when re-injected in the patient, activate T cells known to fight prostate cancer. Analysts believe this kind of treatment is extensible and if approved, Provenge could eventually be changed to treat other forms of cancer.

Provenge, if approved, would be the first treatment of this type. Wall Street calls it a cancer vaccine because it uses the body' own immune system, but this term also implies it can prevent cancer, confusing many investors - I call it a personalized cancer treatment, which is exactly what it is for each patient being treated by Provenge. If approved, Provenge could be the first of an entire new generation of personalized treatments and a major catalyst for a wave of investment in this type of technology.

I have written extensively about Provenge in my letter, ChangeWave Biotech Investor, as part of an ongoing interest in leading edge treatments and speculative companies. I am not alone - the entire industry is keeping an eye on the panel meeting, and the eventual FDA decision (that is to happen by May 15th), wondering if a new revolution is in the making, something similar to the approval of Genentech's (DNA) Avastin, the first anti-angiogenesis drug to reach the market a few years ago. I will report back here on Friday with the outcome of the meeting - I will be there - and please, don't be shy, post your questions and comments before or after.