Research results reported in the latest edition of the Journal of theNational Cancer Institute indicate that monoclonal antibodiescombined with chemotherapy may yet prove to be an effectivecancer-fighter.

In particular, the monoclonal antibody has been designed to blockepidermal growth-factor receptors (EGFR), which are overexpressedon the surface of many types of cancer cells, including breast,ovarian, colorectal, prostate and lung cancer cells.

Researcher John Mendelsohn and his colleagues at the MemorialSloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York found that the anti-EGFRantibody plus doxorubicin was able to completely eradicate humansquamous carcinoma and mammary adenocarcinoma tumors in amouse xenograft model.

ImClone Systems Inc. (NASDAQ:IMCL) of New York announced inApril that it had licensed the EGFR monoclonals from the Universityof California. ImClone intends to develop the antibodies for treating avariety of cancers.

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