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Fighting Cancer With The Common Cold?

Posted by simoniker on from the osmosis-jones dept.

Roland Piquepaille writes "After 30 years of work, Saint Louis University researchers have genetically engineered a common cold virus to fight cancerous cells while leaving unaffected healthy ones. They received a patent for this research and clinical tests on humans will start soon, according to this news release. Dr. William Wold, chair of the department of molecular microbiology and immunology, received the patent No. 6,627,190 for his work. Preclinical testing has already been done so clinical trials should start soon. We can only hope they will be successful. This overview contains many more details and references about this potential cure for all kinds of cancer. [Note: this is a very different project from the one mentioned by a previous Slashdot post.]"

17 of 376 comments (clear)

  1. Obligatory by Grave · · Score: 5, Funny

    They can cure cancer but they can't cure the common cold?!

    1. Re:Obligatory by loknor · · Score: 3, Funny

      Cancer will often cure the common cold. =D

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      me karma am bad
    2. Re:Obligatory by Justin205 · · Score: 5, Funny

      They can cure cancer but they can't cure the common cold?!

      No, no, no. They could if they tried, but they need the common cold to cure the cancer. What do you want? A cold, or cancer?

      --
      "Your effort to remain what you are is what limits you."
    3. Re:Obligatory by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

      Receiving or giving? I would hate to get it wrong!

    4. Re:Obligatory by niker · · Score: 2, Funny

      > Viagra was designed and developed in a research effort that was originally looking for anti-hypertension drugs, and was later refocused on anti-angina drugs.

      So... it was meant to be anti-angina, but is now pro-vagina.

      Funny how things turn out :)

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  2. Must be Microsoft by xintegerx · · Score: 4, Funny

    "have genetically engineered a common cold virus"

    Only a Microsoft Flu lab could make the claim that they genetically engineered a common cold virus, and all in the same sentence. It must be really hard to genetically engineer out of nothing, something... very... common.. Hmm.

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    Cover your eyes and click this link!
    1. Re:Must be Microsoft by Wordsmith · · Score: 2, Funny

      Next they're working on a genetic variation of the stomach flu that cures an ailing sense of humor.

  3. I thoroughly hope this succeeds by GotNookie2000 · · Score: 2, Funny

    I thoroughly hope this succeeds for the good f man kind. Any chance that this research will help with cold remedies ?

    1. Re:I thoroughly hope this succeeds by Danny+Rathjens · · Score: 2, Funny

      Aside from lung cancer, it is pretty random though.
      Random culling doesn't increase the fitness(in evolutionary sense, not health sense) of a population.

      hrm, actually, perhaps it could have an effect. With high
      fitness individuals having a higher chance to die it may encourage
      reproduction earlier in life.

  4. Must be Linux by xintegerx · · Score: 2, Funny

    "have genetically engineered a common cold virus"

    Only a Linux zealot would make the claim that they genetically engineered something... when it's a replication of an already known common virus. And, just like the common cold, this common virus (at 97%) is just as likely to have infected your electronic hard drives, too.

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    Cover your eyes and click this link!
  5. Re:Wow by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Hopefully you geeks will celebrate the occasion of Linux 2.6.0 being released by showering.

    Thanks.

  6. Re:So... by momerath2003 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Who's got an explanation for the lay on how these could elude the body's natural immune system?

    Simple.

    It uses reverse tachyon transcriptase to bipolarize the antibodies. Once the body is cancer-free, the doctors must simply use a modulated graviton beam to hyperstimulate the immune system, thus ridding the body of the modified cold and restoring the immune system to normal activity levels.

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  7. Cold? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Once they kill the cancer how will the deal with the cold?

  8. A cure for cancer? by ncc74656 · · Score: 3, Funny

    I guess it's time to thaw out John Wayne...he's gonna be pretty pissed off, having been on ice all this time.

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    20 January 2017: the End of an Error.
  9. P2P Cancer Cure by aduzik · · Score: 4, Funny
    You know, availability's simply not going to be a problem. My family has given me -- free of charge -- two common cold viruses already this year. It's only a matter of time before everyone catches the cancer cure cold, too!

    But then we'll all get sued by the AMA, the RIAA, and SCO for copyright infringement for illegally distributing the patented cure virus to complete strangers. They'll demand royalties every time a cell undergoes mitosis!

    --
    If it's not one thing it's your mother.
  10. Questions left unanswered by sharkey · · Score: 4, Funny
    have genetically engineered a common cold virus

    But how many asses does it have?

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  11. Copyright Infringement? by Caffeine+Pill · · Score: 2, Funny


    So if a buddy of mine gets cancer, is given this cold, and then spreads it to others (thus curing them for 'free') can he (or any of them) be sued for copyright infringement?

    Guess that would be the ultimate for of Peer 2 Peer sharing. *rimshot*

    and by rimshot I don't mean goatse you pervs