Key milestone in cancer treatment research

It all started with a shrew and the inquisitive mind of a Sackville biochemistry professor.

Now more than six years later, Mount A professor Jack Stewart’s curiosity has evolved from experiments in his lab into a full-out drug discovery and development company working on exciting patented technology that could lead to new treatments for cancer and chronic pain.

The official opening of BioProspecting NB Inc.’s new laboratory facilities in Sackville was held last Wednesday.Prior to his research on the shrew, Stewart said he had never heard of a venomous mammal and instantly wanted to know more. This interest soon lead to the discovery of a very small, but important, compound derived from the shrew’s venomous saliva – a peptide Stewart’s team now refers to as ‘soricidin.’

Recent research conducted at BioProspecting indicates that a target mechanism for the molecule includes the TRPV6 calcium channel – and that utility may be found not only in treating primary cancers but also difficult-to-treat aggressive cancers.

The BioProspecting team will now move into the pre-clinical stage in oncology and has already initiated the patent process for developing this potential cancer treatment drug.

BioProspecting, which now employs nine full-time staff including a small team of young biochemists who graduated from Mount Allison University, is located on Queens Road where its lab facilities contain the latest, up-to-date equipment.

Stephanie Jackson (’06), a lab technician who graduated from Stewart’s biochemistry program in 2006, said she’s excited to be part of this research.

Jackson works out of the Atlantic Cancer Research Institute lab in Moncton, where she cultures breast cancer and ovarian cancer cells and treats them with the peptides derived from the shrew.

The company, since its 2005 establishment, has managed to secure funding from a number of agencies, including the Canadian Institutes of Heath Research, the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, Business New Brunswick, and the National Research Council.

Read full article: BioProspecting NB Inc hits key milestone in cancer treatment research (Sackville Tribune)