Selective Tumor Vascular Targeting Agents (STVTs) are being produced by NuVas and tested in animal models to treat solid tumors. STVTs incorporate modifications to tissue factor (TF) that confer the ability to selectively initiate thrombosis in the tumor microvascular system. Thrombosis blocks the ability of the tumor mass to receive nutrients and oxygen and results in the death of the tumor. An important component of STVTs is the facilitator element which imparts tumor specificity to the thrombogen. This proposal describes a new method of coupling TF with different facilitators that will dramatically improve the efficiency of producing new STVTs. This will assist our efforts to identify an STVT which can be developed for clinical use.
The need for better anti-cancer agents is obvious. The STVT approach to cancer therapy has the potential to help a significant proportion of the 1.5 rnillion people in the US who develop cancer each year. The U.S. market for cancer therapeutics is more than $10 billion.
