Possible Breakthroughs in Cancer and AIDS Research

FortKnox writes "Two possible medical breakthroughs have come to light in recent days. In Australia, it was discovered that pineapple extract can stimulate the body to attack cancer cells. And in Japan, Kumamoto University researchers have developed a drug that will block cells from the AIDS virus, thus making something akin to an AIDS vaccine." From the Australian news: "One of the molecules, CCZ, stimulates the body's immune system to target and kill cancer cells, the other, CCS, blocks a protein called Ras, which is defective in 30 percent of all cancers. QIMR researcher Tracey Mynott said her team had set out to find why the enzyme-rich bromelaine crush had such strong effects on biological material."

Comments

Re:AIDS virus?

[Cocoronixx]

FWIW, go fuck yourself.

I fear the HIV-drug industry won't like this

[davidwr]

If someone finds a no-side-effect, affordable, treatment or vaccine for HIV, the drug companies that hope to make money off of HIV won't like it, and they'll take steps to delay it's entry into the marketplace.

Thank goodness it's HIV we are talking about, the politics of HIV will limit how much of a delay industry can force without looking like the bad guys in the media.

Another prediction:
If this looks promising, a major drug company with an existing drug will invest enough money in the project to exert some kind of control. Those controls will include keeping the price high, at least at first, and scrupulously following FDA requirements to force delays.

On the other hand, the best outcome may be that a drug company WITHOUT a stake in the game will invest heavily and use their influence to get this to market sooner rather than later.