Scientists gather to discuss gene medicine's "toolbox"

Washington, D.C. — To mark the 10th anniversary of the world's first gene therapy clinical trial, leading scientists are set to meet in Washington, D.C., to explore and assess gene medicine's potential for preventing and curing cancer. This unprecedented meeting will take place on Sept. 14 in the Ronald Reagan Building and will be hosted by the National Foundation for Cancer Research.

Scientists set to participate in this meeting include:

• W. French Anderson, M.D., Norris Cancer Center, Univ. of Southern California. In 1968, Dr. Anderson established the first dedicated gene therapy laboratory, at the National Institutes of Health and was a principal investigator in the first gene therapy clinical trial on Sept. 14, 1990.

• Michael Blaese, M.D., Valigen Corporation, Newtown, Pa. Dr. Blaese was a principal investigator in the first gene therapy clinical trial, and now is preparing for the first gene repair clinical trial.

• Kenneth Culver, M.D., Novartis Pharmaceutical Company. Dr. Culver was a principal investigator in the first gene therapy clinical trial and now is executive director of pharmacogenomics for Novartis.

• Bruce Ames, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley. The Ames Test for carcinogenesis has been a standard assay for a generation. His work focuses on genetics of micronutrition in cancer prevention.

• Harold F. Dvorak, M.D., Harvard Medical School, Beth Israel Deaaconess Medical Center. Dr. Dvorak discovered the VEGF protein responsible for tumor blood vessel formation, i.e., tumor angiogenesis.

• Martyn Smith, Ph.D., University of California, Berkeley. In 1999 Dr. Smith discovered a genetic mutation that controls how the body processes folate to protect against some types of acute leukemia.

• Danny Welsh, Ph.D., Jake Gittlen Cancer Research Institute, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey. In 1996 Danny Welsh discovered KiSS-1, a Novel Malignant Melanoma Metastasis-Suppressor Gene; earlier this year he discovered BRMS1, a Novel Human Breast Carcinoma Metastasis Suppressor Gene.

Reporters will have the opportunity to ask questions and conduct individual interviews with these and other scientists and several of gene therapies first patients and their families including Ashanthi DeSilva, of Cleveland, Ohio, the first gene therapy patient and Cynthia Cutshall of Canton, Ohio, the second gene therapy patient. Kevin Klug of Cincinnati, Ohio, the first gene therapy patient for the deadly brain cancer — glioblastoma multiforma — and who has been in remission for seven years, will also be in attendance.

In addition, Carol Ann Demearet, the mother of "the boy in the bubble," and Taylor Daley, the first patient to receive in utero bone marrow transplant curing SCID, will help provide historical context to the hope and promise of the future for gene medicine.

"In the year 2000, much of gene medicine's original hype has become reality," says Franklin Salisbury Jr., president of the National Foundation for Cancer Research. "With the completion of the human genome mapping project and gene therapy's first undeniable cure of a disease in Paris earlier this year, we are truly only beginning to understand the possible implications of the future of gene medicine. With a little looking back and much looking forward, this gathering of renowned scientists, will discuss gene medicine's toolbox for making cures a more achievable goal."

The National Foundation for Cancer Research is a cancer related charity fully dedicated to advancing basic science cancer research in the laboratory. Formed in 1973 to support research related to the prevention, treatment and cure of cancer, NFCR encourages and facilitates collaboration and the sharing of ideas and results among scientists.

Source: National Foundation for Cancer Research