ScienceDaily (Aug. 25, 2008) —
Could a substance from the jasmine flower hold the key to an effective
new therapy to treat cancer?
Prof. Eliezer Flescher of The Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv
University thinks so. He and his colleagues have developed an
anti-cancer drug based on a decade of research into the commercial
applications of the compound Jasmonate, a synthetic compound derived
from the flower itself. Prof. Flescher began to research the compound
about a decade ago, and with his recent development of the drug, his
studies have now begun to bear meaningful fruit.
“Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) is based on a plant stress hormone,”
says Prof. Flescher. “I asked myself, ‘Could there be other plant stress
hormones that have clinical efficacy?’ While various studies have
suggested that aspirin can prevent cancer, especially colon cancer, I
realized that there could be a chance to find a potent plant hormone
that could fight cancer even better. I pinpointed jasmonate.”
A Natural Leap to the Drugstore Shelf
Both blood cancers and solid tumors seem to be responsive to the
jasmonate compound, known also as methyl jasmonate. Prof. Flescher
refers to it as the “jasmonate scaffold,” a basis for developing a
series of chemical derivatives. In terms of bioavailability and safety,
early first-in-man studies have proven successful, and Prof. Flescher is
hopeful that an anti-cancer drug based on jasmonate could be on the
shelf in America within four years through the activity of Sepal-Pharma
which licensed his research from Ramot, the technology transfer arm of
Tel Aviv University.
Normally drug development takes much longer. “The jasmonate compound
is used widely in agriculture and in cosmetics,” says Prof. Flescher.
“Proven to be non-toxic, it has the same regulatory status as table
salt. That and the fact we are working on a natural chemical gives us a
good starting point for launching a new drug.”
Optimistic Responses from Peer Researchers
Other research groups are taking notice. Since Prof. Flescher started
publishing papers on jasmonate (most recently in the academic journal
Oncogene), six new research groups around the world have initiated
research on the subject.
Peer commentary in Oncogene is positive about Prof. Flescher’s
promising research. “Methyl jasmonate,” says the commentary, “has
already been shown to have selective anticancer activity in preclinical
studies, and this finding may stimulate the development of a novel class
of small anticancer compounds.”
Prof. Flescher’s research is the foundation of a promising new
biotech company, Sepal-Pharma, where Prof. Flescher serves on the
scientific advisory board. Sepal-Pharma is developing new compounds
based on the Jasmonate Scaffold. Sepal-Pharma has also been actively
funding research done at Prof. Flescher’s lab.
