| WWW.CUREPEYRONIES.NET email:curepeyronies@yahoo.com |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
ANOTHER ANTI-FIBROTIC DRUG WITH GREAT POTENTIAL
Australian scientists say they have developed a drug with the potential to save
millions of lives from kidney and other firbrotic diseases. An estimated 45% of
all deaths in the developed world are attributed to some type of chronic fibro-
proliferative disease and the demand for an effective anifibrotic drug would be
enormous.
The research team says their breakthrough drug, FT-11, works by preventing
the spread of fibrosis, the irreversible scarring of vital organs. In preliminary
trials on rats, FT-11 had a 100% success rate in preventing renal fibrosis with
no side effects. Early trials on humans are expected to begin soon and will
target a type of fibrosis called diabetic neuropathy which is a complication that
arises in about 30% of diabetics. This is a chronic disease whose progression
is characterized by a reduction in the ability of the kidney to filter waste from
the blood, ultimately leading to kidney failure. In a separate study, this drug
improved heart function of laboratory rats with myocardial fibrosis.
My Comments -Of course, none of these articles mentioned Peyronies Disease,
which is another fibrotic disorder. But this nontoxic drug has such great
potential that successful testing on humans would cause such a tremendous
demand for this drug that it would have to be placed on the fast track for
approval. Also, there is no mention as to whether this drug has the potential to
reverse the fibrotic process. It seems that they have not considered this
potential, but who really knows. There are a number of small companies
funding the development of this drug and I have written to them asking that
they consider it for Peyronies. The primary company developing this drug is
Fibrotech Therapeautics . They don’t have a web site, but indicate that one will
be up and running shortly. Google this company for web site updates.
WHY NO FOLLOW-UP?
A number of studies have investigated whether PDE 5 inhibitors, the active
ingredient in erectile dysfunction (ED) drugs such as Viagra ,Levitra and Cialis,
were effective in the treatment of rats with Peyronies Disease like plaque. In
one study, laboratory rats were given vardenafil (Levitra) either continuously in
drinking water or just given a dose once a day for 42-45 days starting at the
moment of injection of a Peyronies causing Transforming Growth Factor. The
conclusion was that a long term oral treatment with vardenafil slows down and
reverses early stage PD plaque in rats and may ameliorate a more advance
plaque.
My comments – the study was done in 2005 and as far as I can tell threre were
no follow up studies on rats or humans. The use of these PDE 5 inhibitors
seems to represent a multi billion dollar opportunity for drug companies to
expand the use of their already FDA approved ED drugs. Unfortunately, this
lack of interest shows that we have a orphan disease that is neglected in
research trials. If I were recently diagnosed with Peyronies, I would certainly
discuss the option with my urologist of taking an ED drug for 45 days in the
hope that it would ameliorate the progression of this disease. There are a
number of citations you can mention to your physician. The study most often
mentioned is the "Long-term treatment with vardenafil reduces the development
of fibrotic plaque in a rat model of Peyronies disease." Program and abstracts
of the Sexual Medicine Society of North America Fall Meeting; November 17-
20, 2005, Abstract 43.
Click Here for Next Page