Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Puffer fish toxin for Cancer-related pain

Tectin, an investigational drug undergoing research in Canada, is an injectable form of TTX extracted from the puffer fish. TTX is short for tetrodotoxin, the poison produced by the puffer fish. In it's raw form tetrodotoxin is 100 times more poisonous than cyanide. In a modified form (Tectin) it can be used to treat Cancer-related pain.

WEX pharmaceuticals in British Columbia, Canada has completed five clinical trials with TTX to date, with more than 200 patients. The results have been promising so far, with the drug being well-tolerated in all 200 patients.

TTX is 2,000 times more potent than morphine and does not have the side effects of opioids. The drug is non-addictive, fast-acting, and lasts much longer than current pain killers.

WEX is planning to file a protocol for the drug with the US FDA before the end of the 2010 year. We can expect to hear more about this drug and it's approvals/disapprovals in the next few years.

To read more about TTX and WEX pharmaceuticals, click here.
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1 comment:

  1. ivyliNovember 19, 2011 at 8:26 AM

    Hi sandinsandals,

    I'm writing an article for Encyclopedia of Earth. I find this puffer fish picture in both you and another blog. I don't know the source of it. Could you let me know and offer me a permission to use as a preview image for my article? Here's the link to my article: http://www.eoearth.org/article/Tetrodotoxin. Feel free to email me through shicongivyli@gmail.com. Thank you very much!

    Best,
    Ivy

    ReplyDelete

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