LE VIRUS ADVINCE

L’aventure AdVince

Depuis 2008, le Professeur Magnus Essand et son équipe de recherche du département d’immunologie, de génétique et de pathologie de l’Université d’Uppsala (Suède) travaillent sur une approche totalement nouvelle du traitement des tumeurs neuroendocrines (TNE).

AdVince est un traitement anti-TNE (immunothérapie oncolytique) en cours de développement à l’Université d’Uppsala. Il tient son nom d’un adénovirus (virus inoffensif responsable du rhume) et de Vince Hamilton, co-fondateur de la fondation Victory NET et généreux donateur ayant permis aux chercheurs de l’Université suédoise de poursuivre leurs travaux sur le traitement anti-TNE lors de la première levée de fonds menée par Alexander Masters.

Ce traitement consiste en l’inoculation d’un virus oncolytique, qui s’est avéré efficace dans la destruction des TNE chez les souris et actuellement en phase de test sur les humains dont les résultats sont très encourageants.

Il a été spécialement conçu pour infecter et tuer les cellules cancéreuses sources de TNE. Ce procédé d’inoculation vise à stimuler le système immunitaire et à l’encourager à attaquer les cellules infectées par ce virus, de sorte que le corps du patient participe au combat. Les cellules cancéreuses ne sont généralement pas détectées par le système immunitaire du sujet, car elles ne sont pas reconnues comme néfastes pour l’organisme et ne déclenchent donc pas les mécanismes de défense habituels. Le virus oncolytique infecte et se reproduit dans les cellules cancéreuses, qui finissent par éclater et libérer de grandes quantités de nouveaux virus. Ces derniers infectent à leur tour les cellules cancéreuses voisines, et ainsi de suite.

AdVince fait l’objet du tout premier essai médical à avoir été majoritairement financé par un seul patient et qui permet aujourd’hui à d’autres patients de suivre le programme de recherche et d’essais cliniques.

The Oncolytic Virus Fund - Uppsala University, Sweden

Professor Magnus Essand at Uppsala University has received a donation from entrepreneur Vince Hamilton of two million Swiss franc (CHF), the equivalent of just over two million US dollars. The donation will be used to launch the world’s first clinical trials with an oncolytic virus designed to specifically target neuroendocrine tumours.

Vanity virus cures fund gap for medical research

Vince Hamilton leaned forward across the breakfast table at the Haymarket hotel in London in early 2014 and described the parallels between prospecting for oil and discovering a new medical treatment. Both take a long time, considerable money and have a low probability of success. “You hope that time is on your side,” he said.

Scientists offer to name cancer drug for £1m

It is the gift for those who have everything. Swedish medical researchers are offering to name an experimental cancer drug after anyone willing to donate £1m to fund their work.

Finally given hope...by the kindness of strangers

When Harrison Smith finished his first triathlon, it was not the fact he was only eight years old that was amazing.

It was that his father, Alex, had carried him throughout — swimming him through 2.3 miles of cold, Danish water; towing him 112 miles on the back of his bike; and pushing him in a buggy for the final 26-mile marathon run.

The whole story of ADVINCE
by Alexander Master

If mega-rich people could buy places on clinical trials, would this help drive forward the development of new treatments that could benefit everyone? Alexander Masters thinks it might just work.

Status update: AdVince – a potential treatment for neuroendocrine cancer

A status update on the crowdfunded clinical trials of AdVince, a genetically engineered virus which targets and kills neuroendocrine cancer cells.

iCancer: closing the net around cancer by getting the public involved

The iCancer campaign uses social media to raise money for a Swedish lab to develop its novel therapy, but it raises important questions about public involvement in funding decisions

AdVince - The Inspiring Story About Human Will and the World's First Crowdfunded Cancer Drug

Cancer – the word itself is enough to invoke dread in our hearts. According to the National Cancer Institute, cancer is among the leading causes of death worldwide. In 2012, there were 14 million new cases and 8.2 million cancer-related deaths worldwide. 

The people's cure for cancer: crowdfunding experimental treatments

A plump, healthy looking man with a fresh haircut, wearing a white T-shirt, he looks like someone who rows out into misty forest lakes to catch a fish for breakfast. He has two children, six grandchildren and not much time.

The Only crowd-funded cancer drug trial in history

“The most successful medical crowdfunding campaign in web history” – Financial Times

“Science goes viral” – Financial Times