Merck & Co., Inc announced today its investigational trial of vorinostat (ZOLINZA®), the Company's oral histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, in patients with advanced malignant pleural mesothelioma has progressed into Phase III investigation and is currently enrolling patients who previously failed or are intolerant to prior therapies such as chemotherapy. The decision to move forward follows the review of currently available safety and efficacy data from the Phase II portion of the trial.

Eric Rubin, M.D., vice president, oncology clinical research, Merck Research Laboratories said "With no currently approved regimens for relapsed or refractory mesothelioma, continued research focused on identifying targeted therapies and differentiated approaches is critical. We are pleased that the investigation of vorinostat for the treatment of advanced mesothelioma has advanced into Phase III development.”

There are several key endpoints of the Phase III trial. They include overall survival as well as characterization of the overall safety and toxicity of ZOLINZA in patients with advanced malignant mesothelioma. Several secondary endpoints include overall objective response, response duration, and progression-free survival.

To Read the entire Press Release, Visit the Mesothelioma Applied Resource Foundation HERE

The fight against mesothelioma is made possible by individuals who actively contribute to funding research and advocating for asbestos awareness.  MesoRC happily and proudly announces the introduction of a Tribute Wall, to acknowledge and thank those individuals who have made a contribution to the battle against mesothelioma.

Each name on the wall represents a member of the MesoRC community; upon joining, the Law Offices of James Sokolove donated $200 in their name to the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation.  We especially thank those members who have been personally affected by the disease, or who have donated in honor of a mesothelioma victim. In joining the MesoRC community, these individuals have helped MARF become one step closer to a cure.

The Minnesota Partnership for Biotechnology and Medical Genomics announced its 2008 research projects today. The partnership is a collaboration between the state, Mayo Clinic and the University of Minnesota.

Dr. Stephen Russell of the Mayo Clinic is collaborating with Dr. Robert Krattzke from the University of Minnesota to develop virotherapy for mesothelioma. According to the goal of the project, the group aims to "get a measles virus developed at Mayo to target malignant mesothelioma, a deadly lung disease with poor survival rates. Some people in northeast Minnesota have 'substantial risk' of developing the illness."

The research will cost $867,114. For the complete research announcements, click here.

Politicians are pushing aggressively to obtain federal funding for mesothelioma research. Over a dozen senators and lobbyists are vying for funding from the Department of Defense's 2009 appropriation bill. They argue that one third of patients with mesothelioma worked in the Navy or at Navy shipyards when they were exposed to asbestos. Receiving funds from the Department of Defense would give mesothelioma research credibility and attract scientists to the field.

Currently, the Mesothelioma Applied Research Foundation funds about $1 million worth of research annually. Its president Chris Hahn, however, argues that in order to motivate researchers, there must be consistent funds of about $29 million annually.

But Hahn said the foundation is not looking to see money earmarked for the cause. Instead, they want to see mesothelioma listed as a priority part of the Pentagon’s peer-reviewed medical research program. Researchers would then compete for grants from the Department of Defense. And Congress has a say in how much money goes to the overall program — as well as which diseases would be listed as a priority.

Hahn says it is encouraging that MARF's call for funding is being heard, but he believes their efforts are far from over. “For decades the football was stuck in the opposing team’s endzone,” Hahn said. “The ball is finally moving, but we still have 90 yards to go out of 100.”

For the complete story click here.

Dr. Michele Carbone and a team of American and Turkish doctors have been granted a $100,000 award by the American Association for Caner Research to study the possibility of a genetic disposition for mesothelioma.  Their work in Cappadocia, Turkey reveals the strong likelihood of a gene that creates a disposition for mesothelioma.

The team recently published an article that stated "Initially linked solely to the exposure to a fibrous mineral, erionite, recent studies by scientists from Turkey and the United States have shown that erionite causes mesothelioma mostly in families that are genetically predisposed to mineral fibre carcinogenesis."

In accepting the grant, the team wrote, "They will apply the AACR INNOVATOR grant to their study of linkage analysis to identify the predisposing gene or genes for mesothelioma among this cultural group and map the genetic risk factors by genetic linkage studies. Findings from this research have implications far beyond the villages in Turkey as they can be applied to other geographic areas and communities worldwide with the goal of preventing this deadly form of cancer or finding new life-saving treatments."