Provectus Biopharmaceuticals Inc (PVCT)

[MikeCr]

Provectus Pharmaceuticals (PVCT) Offers Melanoma Patients Hope as PV-10 Prepares for Phase III Trials

theotcinvestor.com
By Justin Kuepper · Monday, June 14th, 2010

With Melanoma Month over, Provectus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTC-BB: PVCT) and other companies remain keenly focused on gaining regulatory approvals for new treatments that could help patients more effectively and less painfully fight the disease. And with Dendreon Corporation’s (DNDN) recent success, cancer drugs are finally starting to become available.

Melanoma is a type of cancerous tumor that is found predominantly in skin that affects approximately 60,000 new patients per year. While it is not a common form of skin cancer, it accounts for approximately 75% of the deaths associated with skin cancer. According to a WHO report, approximately 48,000 patients die from the disease worldwide each year.

Despite biotechnology companies having invested significant time and money into finding a cure, the greatest chance of survival remains early surgical resection of thin tumors. Subsequent to the removal, adjuvant treatment, chemotherapy, immunotherapy and radiation therapy are also used, but are often extremely costly and painful with lasting adverse side-effects.

Fortunately, there are many drugs in various stages of clinical trials that promise to help combat melanoma. One of these drugs is Provectus Pharmaceuticals’ (OTC-BB: PVCT) PV-10, which utilizes a dye called Rose Bengal to selectively target and kill cancer cells. Currently, the drug is preparing to begin Phase III trials, after showing promise in its Phase II trial results.

During its Phase II trials, scientists found that PV-10 showed an Objective Response in 61% of subjects, with a Complete Response in 33% of subjects, and a logoregional disease control in 79% of subjects. Meanwhile, the compound also achieved an Objective Response in 43% of subjects with an evaluable bystander lesion.

The end result was a mean Progression Free Survival time of 8.5 months for all subjects, while the Objective Response subjects had significant longer rates estimated to be at least 11.1 months. Meanwhile, Adverse Experiences were generally mild to moderate, with no deaths or life-threatening experiences attributable to PV-10.

The drug is also being made available to severe patients through the FDA’s Compassionate Use Program. Since the drug has been used as a staining dye to find scratches in the eye for years, regulators view it as being relatively low-risk.

In the end, Provectus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OTC-BB: PVCT) and other cancer treatment companies are getting close to some real solutions as Melanoma Month draws to an end.


http://theotcinvestor.com/provectus-pharmaceuticals-pvct-offers-melanoma-patients-hope-as-pv-10-prepares-for-phase-iii-trials-829/