The Portuguese president, Jorge Sampaio, has awarded the "Gran Premio de Medicina de la Fundación Bial" to a scientific research team at the Applied Medical Research Centre (CIMA) and to the University Hospital of the University of Navarra. The members of the team are Doctors Ignacio Melero, Jesús Prieto and Guillermo Mazzolini who have received this €150,000 award. The ceremony, which Doctors Melero and Prieto attended, was held at the Faculty of Medical Science of the Universidad Nueva de Lisboa.

The work for which this award has been received focuses on clinical trials on patients with advanced tumours of the digestive system. "Our aim is to strengthen the response of the immune system when faced with cancer by using innovative methods which combine cell and gene therapy", said Dr. Ignacio Melero, head of the research team.

The study carried out by the University of Navarra research team covers from experimental observation in animal models to the pilot clinical trial on 17 patients who were suffering from advanced liver, pancreas and colon cancers. The treatment, according to Ignacio Melero, is carried out by injecting the tumoral lesions with the patient"s own specialized immune response cells (dendritic cells). "We artifically place the genes of a substance called interleukin-12 into these cells, which increases their immune response capacity", he explained.

Increased immune response to tumor

The modified cells, which are repeatedly injected into the malignant nodules, have produced excellent results in transplanted tumors in mice. "In the cases of human digestive tumors treated, only a slight delay in the progression of the disease was achieved. However, the safety and viability of the procedures was proven, and parameters were demonstrated which indicate the increase in immune response to the tumor cells", said Dr. Melero.

At present the research group at the University of Navarra is continuing to work to optimize the results of these procedures in mouse models. Further clinical trials are programmed for mid-2006.

The Bial Foundation, which was created to further medical research, awards this prize to studies which have great impact or scientific implications. It is considered to be one of the most significant awards in the area of medicine, and is the fourth largest prize, in economic terms, in Europe. The presentation was attended by Fernando Puig de la Bellacasa, Under-Secretary for Health and Consumer Affairs at the Spanish Ministry of Health and Consumer Affairs.