The University of Leicester in the UK has been selected as one of the first centres in the world to trial a revolutionary new cancer prevention drug, based on a natural compound found in red wine.
Cancer researchers from the University's Department of Oncology, based at the Leicester Royal Infirmary, have been awarded just over £1 million (€1.56 million) along with the University of Michigan. The award comes from the US National Cancer Institute (NCI), the major US government body which funds and co-ordinates cancer research, and represents the first time that a group outside America has been funded by the NCI for the early clinical development of a drug that may prevent cancer.
The money will be used by the Cancer Biomarker and Prevention Group of the University of Leicester, in conjunction with the Comprehensive Cancer Centre at the University of Michigan, to conduct preclinical and clinical evaluation of resveratrol, a natural compound found in red wine.
Principal investigator Professor Will Steward said: "Resveratrol is a natural agent found in grapes, peanuts and several berries. It is present in fruit juice from these berries and in wine. Consumption of resveratrol has been proposed as one possible explanation for the low incidence of cardiovascular disease in southern European countries with high red wine consumption, and resveratrol has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activity in experimental models."
"Since resveratrol may be of value in preventing cancer, the NCI is funding early clinical studies of pure resveratrol capsules in healthy volunteers and patients with early cancer," he added.
Professor Steward explained that the University of Leicester has built up the largest integrated cancer prevention group in Europe over the last four years. The research group attracted international publicity a few years ago when they investigated the cancer-fighting properties of curcumin, an ingredient in curries.
"The Leicester team has been involved with the early clinical development of the potential cancer preventive agent curcumin, derived from the dietary spice turmeric. Encouraging results are being obtained from this. The Cancer Biomarker and Prevention Group is also planning early clinical development of other dietary constituents that may help in the fight against cancer," said Professor Steward.
The principal investigator in the USA, Professor Dean Brenner, said: "The award of this competitive grant by the US NCI is a major achievement. In the USA, such awards are given only to teams who are able to successfully integrate their laboratory research scientists with clinical investigators, and awards made to teams outside the US are rare.
"Foreign awards are given only to groups who are able to provide expertise not available in the USA. The successful completion of this contract signifies that the University of Leicester group is considered a world class translational research group..."
The initial trial, to start in spring 2003, will take place at the University of Leicester and Leicester Royal Infirmary. Volunteers will be selected from healthy, mainly young volunteers, with an equal number of males and females.