Battelle is coordinating the study with Dr. Gregory Otterson, and oncologist, and Dr. James Allen, a pulmonologist. The promising new method delivers the chemotherapy medication directly to the lungs via a device developed at Battelle. Key to this new approach is that the device and procedure allow controlled delivery of the drug to the lung without contaminating the environment and exposing the therapists to toxic chemotherapy drugs. Phase I clinical trials are being conducted in patients who have cancer in their lungs which is not treatable by conventional means. Low doses are given initially to determine the safety of the treatment.
Lung cancer is the number-one killer of both men and women.
In the U.S. 164,100 people are diagnosed with lung cancer every year. Of this total approximately 60 percent die within one year and 86 percent within five years. The National Cancer Institute is also collaborating with Battelle on this Phase I program, which is expected to be completed by early 2001. BPT focuses on developing pulmonary drug products and medical devices that can treat respiratory and systemic diseases. Battelle focuses on product development, technology development, technology commercialization and laboratory management.