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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 7, 1998)
jgusl 7. 1998 * Jaast o u t 1 3 mil I.I 7 TU news I am a) alive, b) well and c) still showing homes and educating buyers and sellers. Let's meet in person to discuss the process & prequolify you at no charge. My RMLS computer search locates the right home for you anywhere in the Portland metro area. te tix e H iC H t N ew D rug P romises B etter V ision for F olks with AIDS Fred and I are "ruff & ready' for today's hectic market. Let me show you how it's done—with 19 years of experience. Sue Standard Davis, GRI FDA approval of fomivirsen is likely, despite some scientists' criticism of its small-scale clinical trials by Bob Roehr B y a 5-2 vote, an advisory committee of the federal Food and Drug Administration recommended approval of fomivirsen, trade name Vitravene, for the treatm ent o f cytomegalovirus retinitis, an opportunistic infection sometimes found in those with advanced-stage AIDS. T he vote occurred July 22. Cytomegalovirus retinitis is an eye disease that causes progressive scarring of the retina and loss of sight. It cannot be reversed, but suc cessful therapy may hold the infection in check and prevent further deterioration of vision. A few drugs have already been approved for treatment of the disease, but each has disad vantages in terms of side effects, and some patients have developed viral resistance to one or more of those therapies. Dr. Daniel L. Kisner is pres ident of Isis Pharmaceuticals, the company that developed the drug. He says it works one step further back in the process of inhibiting viral reproduction than do existing therapies. It binds to messenger RN A of the cytomegalovirus when it divides and prevents its reproduction. Fomivirsen is injected directly into the eyeball to prevent development of the infection. Thanks to protease inhibitor therapy, fewer people are suffering from opportunistic infec tions like cytomegalovirus retinitis. A t the same time, the pool of potential patients to enroll in clinical trials has grown markedly smaller. T he FDA initially recommended the compa ny not submit fomivirsen for approval, accord ing to FDA medical officer Dr. Wiley Chambers. “But with the inability to recruit additional patients, additional progress was not being made,” he admits. T h e agency acknowledged that reality, though it would have liked a larger patient sample. Chambers conceded the product showed efficacy, but he was not as convinced of its magnitude. Because the stud ies were “underpowered,” with smaller than desired numbers of participants, he said it only takes a couple of patients to have a tremendous impact on the interpretation of data. T he committee grappled with this fact. Dr. Christopher Mathews from the University of California at San Diego Medical Center concluded, “I don’t think you will ever see a comparison trial with num bers that will be convincing” because of the decline in cases of opportunistic infections. T he FDA will likely follow the committee’s recommendation, and Vitravene should become available in the fall. Associate Broker ¡^ l^ op ^ les 'Ztave 6ee*t oneatiu exaaaenateet. ” y T ~ y y - ° R ? 7222 503-653*7609 OR 503-653-8378 ~ sstandarddavis@msn.com S U E S T A N D A R D D A V I S , w/“ F R E D ” Cytomegalovirus retinitis is an eye disease that causes progressive scarring of the retina and loss of sight. It cannot be reversed, but successful therapy may hold the infection in check and prevent further deterioration of vision. How the D rug W orks omivirsen is part of a new class of drugs called antisense oligonucleotides. Antisense drugs work at the genetic level to interrupt the process by which dis ease-causing proteins are produced. Proteins play a central role in virtually every aspect of human metabolism. Almost all human diseases are the result of inappropriate pro tein production or disordered protein per- F DNA mRNA formance. This is true of both host diseases, such as cancer, and infectious diseases, such as HIV. Traditional drugs are designed to interact with protein molecules throughout the body that support or cause diseases. Antisense drugs, on the other hand, are designed to inhibit the production of disease-causing proteins. They are designed to be more selective and, as a result, more effective and less toxic than traditional drugs. : lomq Proteins general and esthetic dentistry eduardo mulero dds pc ♦ • • • • ♦ Comprehensive Evaluations Mercury-Free Fillings Porcelain Veneers Relaxing Environment ♦ •Teeth Bleaching •V irtual 1-Glasses • Nitrous Oxide • Strict OSHA Standards Genuine Care and Understanding 1585 sw marlow ave. suite 204 portland O reg o n 97225 phone: 203-6978 e-mail: mulerodds@aol.com