Asbestos victims’ drug hope

VICTIMS of York's asbestos timebomb have been given a major boost after a medicine rationing organisation ruled they are entitled to a vital drug.

The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has decided the drug Alimta should be made available to patients with the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma.

The York Asbestos Support Group today hailed the decision, saying that while the drug was not a cure, it could both extend life and alleviate symptoms for patients and was the only treatment available.

"The NICE decision brings to a conclusion an approval process which started almost three years ago and which led to one of the worst examples of the health postcode lottery," said the group's delighted founder Kim Daniells.

"Hundreds of patients across the UK were refused treatment with this drug whilst those in Scotland, the North West and North East of England could access treatment."

She said NICE had rejected an appeal against an original decision to approve the use of the drug for the treatment of the condition, which was a fatal tumour of the lung pleura caused by exposure to asbestos.

"In the last three years, many hundreds of patients have been diagnosed with the condition and gone on to die without ever being able to access the treatment. Hopefully this situation will now come to an end."

She said NICE's guidance meant primary care trusts would now be obliged to provide uniform treatment.

They would be given the option of a 90-day lead-in period following the official announcement, but she hoped the guidance would result in mesothelioma sufferers gaining prompt access to the treatment they needed and deserved.

The decision could benefit former York Carriageworks employees who fall victim in future to mesothelioma.

Staff were widely exposed to deadly asbestos dust fibres during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, and even in the 1980s after some measures had been brought in to provide protection to staff.

Scores of ex-workers have died from the devastating cancer.

A NICE spokesman said Alimta was being recommended as a possible treatment for malignant pleural mesothelioma in people with advanced disease, and whose cancer was not suitable for surgical removal and who met certain other conditions.

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Alfacell Signs Onconase Purchase And Supply Deal With Scientific Protein Labs [ACEL]

(ACEL) announced that it has entered into a purchase and supply agreement with Scientific Protein Laboratories LLC or SPL for the commercial production of Onconase or ranpirnase.

Onconase, the company's lead drug candidate, is currently being evaluated as a treatment for unresectable malignant mesothelioma or UMM in a confirmatory Phase IIIb clinical trial.

Kuslima Shogen, chief executive officer of Alfacell, said, “We have been pleased with the superb performance of the extremely well qualified team at SPL for many years and are confident that the commercial production of ONCONASE is in the right hands. This agreement is another step forward for Alfacell as we plan for the commercialization of ONCONASE.”

Onconase is a first-in-class product candidate from Alfacell's proprietary ribonuclease or RNase technology.

In addition to an ongoing Phase IIIb study in malignant mesothelioma, Alfacell is conducting a Phase I/II trial of Onconase in non-small cell lung cancer or NSCLC and other solid tumors.

ACEL is currently trading at $2.40, up 16 cents or 6.95%.

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Asbestos Exposure only Known Link to Pleural Mesothelioma

Los Angeles, CA: Even though asbestos has been a dirty word for decades, and its use and prevalence has dramatically declined, the toxic substance is still making its presence felt, and is still at the root cause of serious health problems including pleural mesothelioma. In many cases it is claiming lives.

Walter Kot of Illinois is just the latest worker to file a lawsuit against a host of corporations he claims were negligent in their responsibility to inform workers about the presence of asbestos and ways in which, through hygiene and other practises, to mitigate its spread and prevalence.

Kot is upset that on numerous occasions he transported, unknowingly, asbestos fibres home.
Kot toiled as a labourer, sheet-metal worker, shipper, forester and firefighter at the behest of a number of companies from 1940 through 1980. This past July he was diagnosed with mesothelioma, and is litigating a total of 49 corporations for damages and compensation, which will ultimately help cover his medical bills.

In his lawsuit, filed last week in Madison County, Kot claims that the defendants should have known about the hazards of asbestos, and should have been more diligent in protecting its employees from needless exposure.

The suit also alleges that the various defendants could have used asbestos substitutes in their products, but did not.

It has also been alleged that some, or all of the defendants - which were not named publicly - may have destroyed documents and certain evidence, which would have proven Kot's claims.

As a result Kot is seeking at least $550,000 in compensatory damages for pain and suffering, and lost wages. He is also seeking punitive damages representing an undisclosed sum.

Meanwhile, a navy sailor last week was awarded $35.1 million in compensatory damages for exposure to asbestos while serving more than fifty years ago.

John R. 'Jack' Davis was diagnosed, like Kot, with pleural mesothelioma - a disease linked to asbestos exposure. In his suit, Davis claimed that he was exposed to asbestos-covered pipes and vales during his tour of duty in the U.S. Navy, as well as his private-sector career.

The Navy, along with a number of un-named defendants, will have to pool in order to pay the lion's share of the award, 85.8 per cent. The remaining 14.2 per cent of the award is the responsibility of Leslie Controls of Florida, and Warren Pumps of Massachusetts, which will each pay 7.1 per cent. The latter two companies were identified as having supplied asbestos-based material to the Navy.

The verdict, delivered by a jury in Los Angeles Superior Court after a five-week trial, came after deliberations of less than a day, and breaks down to $100,000 for economic damages, $25 million for Mr. Davis' pain and suffering, and a further $10 million for his wife.

Pleural mesothelioma is a deadly cancer that is linked exclusively to the inhalation of asbestos particles in the air. Various countries have implemented an outright ban of asbestos use, something the United States tried but failed, after the ban was overturned in the courts. As a result, there are still products which contain asbestos, such as brake linings.

The incubation period is a long one: the lag time between asbestos exposure and the onset of pleural mesothelioma can be anywhere from 20 to 50 years.

Little wonder that Mr. Kot and Mr. Davis, identified above, litigated so long after exposure. Both men were diagnosed in 2007, decades after the fact.

It is a reasonable expectation there will be many more to come.

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'Cruel injustice' of axed asbestos pay-outs

FAMILIES and campaigners yesterday condemned the "injustice" of a House of Lords ruling which will end compensation for thousands of workers suffering from an asbestos- related condition.

The judgment removes an established right to compensation, which had existed for 20 years, to allow people with pleural plaques - scars on the lungs - to claim damages.

Those affected claim these scars can develop into more serious conditions including cancer. However, their longstanding right to compensation was subject to an appeal by insurance companies, with the Court of Appeal finding in the companies' favour last year that pleural plaques was not a disease.

Unions appealed this and the controversial case went before the Lords yesterday, where the Court of Appeal decision was upheld.

The five Law Lords who heard the cases agreed that the appeals should be dismissed because the law does not offer compensation to victims of injuries which cause no or trivial damage.

Activists have now pledged to ask the Scottish Parliament to bring in new legislation in Scotland to reverse the Lords' judgment.

They have prepared a bill, which has cross-party support, and will submit it to Kenny MacAskill, the justice secretary, urging him to change the law north of the Border.

Harry McCluskey, secretary of Clydeside Action on Asbestos, which represents hundreds of families of former shipyard and factory workers, said: "The judgment has gone against the workers who have to live with the condition with the appalling fear that it could develop into mesothelioma [a form of cancer].

"It is a ridiculous judgment and the injustice is cruel."

Ian Tasker, of the STUC, said: "The STUC has supported asbestos groups and we are extremely disappointed that this is another injustice to the victims of asbestos.

"The legal system pays too much attention to business and it doesn't pay enough attention to the victims."

Pleural plaques can, over time, make breathing difficult and, in some cases, can be accompanied by the development of serious respiratory diseases including mesothelioma and lung cancer.

Previously, victims could claim between £6,000 to £10,000 if they had pleural plaques and more if they developed mesothelioma.

Bill Kidd, an SNP MSP and Robert Brown, a Liberal Democrat MSP, backed the move to introduce new legislation at the Scottish Parliament.

Mr Kidd said: "This decision by the House of Lords flies in the face of common sense and has to be rectified as quickly as possible."

Bill Butler, a Labour MSP, added: "[The ruling] comes down on the side of the employers and insurance companies and disregards the legitimate case of victims and their families."

Solicitor-advocate Frank Maguire, of Thompsons Solicitors, a leading campaigner for asbestos victims, said: "This judgment will only diminish respect for the law by showing how divorced it can be from reality."

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Mesothelioma sufferer pioneers new hope

Leigh Carlisle, a 27-year-old cancer sufferer who is pioneering new treatment for a deadly asbestos-related form of the illness, mesothelioma, is beginning to beat the disease.

Leigh, who is believed to be the country’s youngest sufferer, has been taking part in clinical trials at Manchester’s Christie Hospital.

Leigh may have contracted the disease after she took a short-cut through a Failsworth factory yard, where asbestos was cut, when she was a schoolgirl.

She may also have breathed in the fibres from clothes of a relative who worked there.

Leigh was diagnosed with the condition, which affects her abdomen, in 2006.

Her treatment includes a drug which knocks out a tumour’s resistance so chemotherapy has a better chance of working.

To Leigh’s delight, doctors told her last week that her lungs and stomach are clear of cancer cells, her lymph nodes have returned to near-normal and the tumours in her abdomen have broken down significantly.

Leigh said: "I was overjoyed at being told there had finally been a breakthrough with my clinical trial for Mesothelioma. I have been scared and often faced doubted that treatment wouldn't prove effective, but my consultant and nursing team at 'The Christie' always provided optimism and great support. I know I have some way to go, but the news on my progress is fantastic and I'm looking forward to getting my energy back during my break from treatment now!"

Leigh's solicitor, Geraldine Coombs, said to Rochdale Online: "I am really pleased for Leigh that she has had such good news about her cancer treatment. The results of the trial sound very exciting. Mesothelioma does not usually respond well to treatment and the trial may give hope to others suffering with mesothelioma. 2,000 people every year in this country are diagnosed with mesothelioma.

"Leigh has been through a very hard time with this illness. Despite that she has been working hard to raise awareness about the dangers of asbestos and raising money for cancer charities which is a great credit to her and does not surprise me having got to know Leigh.

"Asbestos is not a problem that is ‘in the past.’ People are still coming into contact with asbestos today around the world. The campaign in Rochdale to push for the risks of environmental contamination by asbestos is very important."

Save Spodden Valley spokesman Jason Addy commented: "I met Leigh earlier this year. She is an incredible person with a positive outlook on life. To contract this illness at such a young age is a particularly cruel blow. I am sure many will join in our prayers and best wishes for her health.

"It is a stark reminder of how low levels of exposure to asbestos fibre may be so dangerous. That is why it is important that safe, open and accountable decisions are made about the former TBA site.

"Mesothelioma takes decades after exposure to asbestos before its symptoms are presented.

"The late Abdul Chowdry, T&N's former Health & Safety manager, suggested on Radio 4 that disturbing soil on the TBA site could 'unearth a monster'. That certainly was an emotive choice of language from the then serving UK Health and Safety Commissioner.

"As the Independent Atkins Report has acknowledged, there is huge potential for gross contamination of the site.

"We all owe a debt to future generations of Rochdalians to ensure that the Spodden Valley becomes a safe amenity for all.

"When you see Leigh and read about what she has faced this year, it really does bring it home to everyone in Rochdale how important it is to get things right in Spodden Valley."

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Data affirm benefit of Alimta for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma

Mesothelioma :: Data affirm benefit of Alimta for patients with malignant pleural mesothelioma

Data from two large, open- label studies show patients experienced one-year survival rates above 50 per- cent when treated with ALIMTA(R) (pemetrexed for injection) or ALIMTA-based regimens for malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) in both a first-line and second-line setting.

The study results affirm important efficacy and safety benefits for Eli Lilly and Company's ALIMTA, the only-known agent to demon- strate a survival benefit in this often difficult-to-treat disease primarily associated with exposure to asbestos.

The data were presented at the 12th World Conference on Lung Cancer.

One of the largest studies undertaken in the treatment of mesothelioma, the triple-arm, open-label, multicenter, first-line study (WCLC Abstract # C5-01) treated patients with ALIMTA as a single agent, while the other two arms evaluated ALIMTA in combination with either cisplatin or carboplatin. All three arms demonstrated clinically similar one-year survival rates (58.6% for ALIMTA alone; 63.1% for ALIMTA+cisplatin, and; 64.0% for ALIMTA+carboplatin). The ALIMTA plus platinum combination arms achieved higher response rates than ALIMTA alone (10.5% for ALIMTA; 26.3% for ALIMTA+cisplatin, and; 21.7% for ALIMTA+carboplatin). All 2,023 patients treated in the first-line setting had a histologic or cytologic diagnosis (pa- tients cells were reviewed under a microscope) of MPM that was not amenable to curative surgery.

An open-label, multicenter study (WCLC Abstract # C5-03), evaluated the results from 988 patients who were treated in a second-line setting for MPM with ALIMTA as a single agent, ALIMTA+cisplatin or ALIMTA+carboplatin after being previously treated with chemotherapy. All three arms demonstrated a significant one-year survival rate (54.7% for ALIMTA alone; 67.9% for ALIMTA+cisplatin, and; 65.5% for ALIMTA+carboplatin). Patients treated with ALIMTA in combination with a platinum-based chemotherapy demonstrated higher response rates (12.1% for ALIMTA; 23.8% for ALIMTA+cisplatin, and; 16.8% for ALIMTA+carboplatin). The most common grade 3/4 toxicities on both studies were leukopenia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia and anemia.

"The initial clinical trial results for ALIMTA in malignant pleural meso- thelioma were definitely considered a medical breakthrough when they were unveiled just three years ago," said Richard Gaynor, M.D., vice president, cancer research and global oncology platform leader for Lilly. "It is encouraging that these open-label studies show real world patient treatment outcomes that are consistent with those from the controlled clinical research environment. In my opinion, this is clinically meaningful information to the practicing oncologist."

ALIMTA was approved by both the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 2004 in combination with cisplatin for the treatment of MPM. To date, ALIMTA has been approved in more than 85 countries in combination with cisplatin for the treatment of MPM.

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Fury at low cash awards for asbestos victims

FORMER York Carriageworks union leader Paul Cooper has blasted the levels of compensation paid to victims of the asbestos timebomb.

Mr Cooper, who has long campaigned on behalf of people killed because of their exposure to asbestos dust, claimed today that sufferers and their families were getting less in damages than criminals who injure themselves.

He said in a letter to York MP Hugh Bayley that the Government had failed to act on a Law Commission report of 1999, recommending increases in damages for victims of serious diseases such as abestosis and mesothelioma, a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos dust.

He claimed the Government was currently looking at the law of damages, and was planning to study various Law Commission reports from the 1990s which had not been actioned - but the review had left out the crucial 1999 report.

"It would oblige our members, many of whom are your constituents, if you could investigate this new matter and press the concerns of our members and affected constituents," he said.

"We continue to have victims/sufferers of asbestos mesothelioma facing a death sentence, with wives and children receiving little more than £200,000 in compensation for their loss. Criminals who self-injure get £500,000, even though they suffer no losses whilst in prison. It is time for our workers to have real justice."

Mr Cooper, who received a Community Pride Volunteer of the Year award in 2005 for his work on behalf of asbestos victims, said he had written to the MP twice before on the subject, but the Government appeared still to be trying to avoid the issue.

"In the case of the victims from the Carriageworks, the state was responsible for their deaths, so the state should accept responsibility."

Scores of former Carriageworks employees have died from mesothelioma over the years, following widespread exposure to the deadly dust, particularly in the 1950s, 60s and early 70s.

Hugh Bayley said he had been campaigning on behalf of carriageworks asbestos victims since becoming MP, and he had helped ensure that they remained entitled to compensation when the railway industry was privatised in the 1990s.

He said he had only recently signed a Commons Early Day Motion calling for people suffering from pleural plaques - scarring of lung tissues caused by exposure to asbestos - to be given more compensation.

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