Fiscal Year:
2001
Title:
NUTRITIONAL INTERVENTION FOR CANCER CACHEXIA
Agency:
HHS
Contract:
N/A
Award Amount:
$386,951.00
Abstract:
DESCRIPTION: (Scanned from the applicants description) The American Cancer
Society estimates 564,800 Americans will die of cancer this year. Evidence
suggests that up to one-third of those deaths are related to malnutrition and
cachexia for which there are currently no effective nutritional interventions.
Weight loss is a predictor of survival in patients receiving cancer therapy and
supplemental nutrition is often indicated in patients undergoing surgery,
chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. Phase I research has clearly shown that
daily supplementation with HMB/Arg/Gln was effective in preventing and
reversing the weight and muscle mass losses in stage IV cancer patients who
were undergoing various regimens of chemotherapy. In this Phase II multicenter
trial, it is proposed to include a more homogenous group of cancer patients,
with diagnoses limited to lung and proximal GI-tract cancers which are
notoriously known to result in significant wasting. The proposal will determine
if early therapeutic interventions with HMB/Arg/Gln will result in (a)
decreasing weight loss, (b) reversing muscle wasting, (c) decreasing protein
turnover, (d) decreasing toxicity to chemotherapeutic agents and better
adherence to chemotherapeutic regimens, and (e) improving overall feeling of
well being. If as expected Phase II results confirm the effectiveness of the
nutrient mixture in cancer patients, a product would be marketed for this
purpose.
PROPOSED COMMERCIAL APPLICATION:
Since over 1.2 million cases of cancer are expected to be diagnosed this year alone
(American Cancer Society), the market potential for the proposed nutritional product is very
large. It is expected that Phase II will continue to support the positive findings of Phase I
and that a product containing the nutrient combination in a ready-to-drink formulation would
be marketed upon this confirmation. A balanced nutritional product containing high quality
protein and other nutrients would likely be developed. It is envisioned that these products
will be highly effective over-the-counter and/or prescription nutritional supplements for
cancer patients with cachexia to improve quality of life of cancer patients.
Principal Investigator:
John C. Fuller
Small Business Information at Submission:
METABOLIC TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
2625 N LOOP DR, STE 2150 AMES, IA 50010
EIN/Tax ID:
421347697
DUNS:
N/A
Number of Employees:
N/A
Woman-Owned:
No
Minority-Owned:
No
HUBZone-Owned:
No