New Drug Discovered that can Halt Cancer from Multiplying

Scientists in the last week of November 2012 developed a new drug called Aflibercept for stopping the cancerous cells from multiplying. The new drug compels the cancerous cells to sleep which in turn stops them in multiplying. The drug is said to trick the tumours for becoming inactive by swapping the molecular switches in cancer structure so that there is no multiplication of the cancerous cells.

The drug had shown positive results in UK, where scientists performed trials on the patients. The patients had shown significant life extension. There were over 1400 patients involved in the trial and some of these were also suffering from advanced bowel cancer. These patients with advanced bowel cancer had already gone through chemotherapy which prolonged their life by two years.
Scientists believe that the drug would be useful across a wide range of cancers in the future studies. Aflibercept in comparison to the conventional drugs had statistically better survival benefits for treating bowel cancer which had spread even after initial treatment.
Aflibercept is usually given as 30-minute infusion with chemotherapy. As of now, it is found in US only. Europe would soon approve the drug for cancer treatment.