Lampidis News

It is with great pleasure that I share with Friends of the Lampidis Cancer Foundation the Lab of the Year Award Dr. Lampidis received this week. A rigorous assessment was conducted by the Office of Environmental Health & Safety at the University of Miami, and the award was made in recognition of outstanding performance in compliance and safety practices. Not only does Dr. Lampidis’ lab come up with life-saving discoveries, it is conducted at a safety and environmental level which is worthy of their outstanding work!

Dr. Theodore Lampidis Laboratory located at Pap 124 receiving the award.
Left to right; Melanie Peapell from EHS, Huaping Liu (Sr. Research Associate),
Dr. Lampidis and Lizzeth Meza from EHS.

At the Foundation, we are doubling our efforts to ensure that Dr. Lampidis’ Lab and his groundbreaking cancer research are adequately funded for the remainder of the current fiscal year. We are still some way from our goal of funding 2-DG through Phase 2 clinical trials. Your support and contributions are now needed more than ever.

To make a donation, please click here.

Theodore J. Lampidis from Brooklyn is a man of many talents: accomplished musician, songwriter, and stand-up comedian (his friends describe him as a cross between Woody Allen and Billy Crystal). This Harvard educated research scientist is also a Professor of Cell Biology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. And he could just be sitting on one of the holy grails of medicine – a universal cure for cancer.

Dr. Lampidis has published more than 100 research papers in respected scientific journals, but it is his latest review article, The Wonders of 2-DG, which is causing a stir in the scientific community and receiving rave reviews from his peers around the world. It is a distillation of his work over the last 30 years into glucose metabolism and its effect on cancerous tumors.

There is an elegant simplicity to Dr. Lampidis’ groundbreaking research which has universal appeal. He is a pioneer in exploring and exploiting the unique usage of glucose in cancer cells using a simple sugar compound called 2-Deoxyglucose (2-DG). His discovery is based on the fact that the cancer cells most resistant to chemotherapy found within the inner core of all solid tumors do not receive enough oxygen (a state known as hypoxia) and therefore must rely exclusively on sugar to survive. Dr. Lampidis hypothesized he could trick these hypoxic tumor cells by feeding them 2-DG and effectively starving them to death. This process (glycolysis) is so fundamental, it has survived a billion years of evolution dating back to a time when there was no oxygen in our atmosphere and the only source of energy that could be used to keep tiny microbes alive was sugar.

Dr. Lampidis’ eureka moment led to two consecutive five-year awards from the National Cancer Institute, which stated in the reviews of his research that “Dr. Lampidis’ work could eventually lead to cures in certain cancers.”

In addition, working in collaboration with Dr. Tim Murray, a world leading expert in the investigation and treatment of children with eye cancer (retinoblastoma), Dr. Lampidis and his colleagues have provided the first proof of principle that 2-DG targets and kills the hypoxic portion of cancerous tumor cells. According to Dr. Murray, “2-DG may turn out to be best thing to come along in this disease in the last 10 years.”

Based on Dr. Lampidis’ work, an FDA-approved Phase I clinical trial was conducted to determine the tolerable dose level of 2-DG. The results of the Phase I trial (which have recently been published) establish the safety of this drug and its remarkable effectiveness in killing cancerous tumors. The next stage is to investigate and develop the most effective combination treatments and drug delivery method before progressing to a Phase II clinical trial.

And that’s where he has hit a roadblock. The unfortunate reality is that since 2-DG cannot be patented, pharma companies are not interested in devoting their resources to bring this wonder drug to market. “If 2-DG could be patented, this drug would already be available to cancer sufferers worldwide. That’s the tragic reality,” says Lampidis ruefully.

A dedicated group of volunteers have banded together and established a not-for-profit foundation in 2013 to raise awareness for Dr Lampidis’ groundbreaking work. Their goal is to raise $10 million to accelerate the journey through clinical trials and FDA approval and bring this miracle cure to market.

“Every day, people are out there raising money to cure cancer,” says Leyan Phillips, Executive Director of the Lampidis Cancer Foundation. “The sad reality is that very little of that money ends up going to research scientists who are actually working on a cure. This is where the funding is needed the most.”

Phillips continues, “I find it shocking that some cancer foundation executives earn salaries in excess of $500,000 a year, and have advertising budgets the size of a major corporation. If Dr. Lampidis had a fraction of that funding, we would have a cure for cancer by now.”

Dr. Lampidis’ work has recently attracted support and interest from an eclectic group of celebrities, including Jose Feliciano, the virtuoso guitarist, singer and songwriter, and Mexican TV novella actress Lorena Rojas, herself a breast cancer sufferer. Rojas has been instrumental in raising awareness among the Hispanic community, where cancer has now overtaken heart disease as the single biggest killer.

According to Rojas, “What I love about Dr. Lampidis’ work is that his research offers a universal approach to treating all types of cancer. His work offers sufferers like me hope.”

He also has a fan from an unlikely source in music maestro DJ Irie, the official DJ of the Miami Heat who was recently recognized at an award ceremony in New York as NBA DJ of the Year. “Dr Lampidis rocks!” exclaims DJ Irie, who spent time last month visiting the Professor in his lab to learn more about his research. “I will do what I can to spread the word about his work.”

Whilst the University of Miami has been very supportive of his work, resources are limited due to budget cuts and reductions in federal funding from the National Institutes of Health, and from a team of five post graduate researchers in his lab he finds himself left with just one technician, who has been with him for 15 years.

Despite the lack of resources, he continues to be the global leader in his field, with his research attracting international interest and acclaim from as far afield as Spain and Japan, all inquiring about 2-DG’s availability for further clinical testing.

“Whenever we come up with an idea using 2-DG and cancer, we review the literature and find that Dr. Lampidis has already beaten us to it!” says one of his overseas colleagues who is now collaborating with Dr. Lampidis on rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of cancer that attacks skeletal muscle tissue.

“We’ve made such great progress over the last few years, the science is solid, and I really feel we’re on the brink of a universal treatment for cancer,” says Dr. Lampidis. “But without funding, there is a risk that cancer sufferers will be unable to access this treatment.”

“We’re hoping that a major benefactor will come along and see the opportunity to leave their mark on the world, to leave behind a legacy for mankind,” says Phillips.

As a call to action, they don’t come much more compelling than that.

According to a recent article in The Guardian, for every dollar spent on research by the major pharmaceutical companies, nearly twice as much is spent on lobbying and marketing. This unfortunate reality is in sharp contrast to the almost daily struggle that academic researchers go through to secure funding for their work.

Industry has always played an important role in bringing new medically useful products to the public, but by industry’s nature its primary motivations are profit-driven and thus are not always in the public’s best interest. True, a pharmaceutical company is not a charity. The common argument is that they must necessarily recoup the cost of drug development, as only a small minority succeed in the marketplace.

On the other hand, taxpayer’s dollars in the form of National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants have been the life source of financial support for medical research that is directed toward serving the greater societal good. However, with government funding for medical research suffering a sharp decline, this is leaving a massive void for those academic researchers whose groundbreaking discoveries might never see the light of day, but for philanthropy.

The Lampidis Cancer Foundation is focused on filling one of those gaps by funding research that has shown huge potential for helping those suffering from cancer. Unfortunately, because the drug that is used in the research (the analog of glucose known as 2-DG), cannot be patented, little interest from industry has been forthcoming. That’s why your support is so vital to get this universal cancer treatment through the appropriate preclinical and clinical trials so that it can begin to provide hope and relief for millions of cancer sufferers worldwide.

According to research conducted by Science Insider, the number of investigators fell by up to 1,000 last year, due in large part to dwindling federal funding. That suggests that after years of propping up grant numbers by squeezing the size of existing grants, the National Institutes of Health could not avoid a drastic cut in the number of investigators they funded last year.

These labs aren’t all necessarily shutting down. They could have bridge funding from their institution or be surviving by other means, such as foundation support. That’s why your financial support for Dr. Lampidis’ groundbreaking cancer research is all the more vital, particularly as we stand on the threshold of bringing this universal treatment through Phase 2 clinical trials. Help us continue in the fight against this devastating global disease.

To make a donation, click here.

With the World Health Organization (WHO) reporting yesterday that cancer cases worldwide are predicted to increase by 70% over the next two decades, the urgency to find a universal cure to this global epidemic is becoming all the more apparent. That’s why our mission to support Dr. Lampidis’ potentially game-changing research into 2-DG is so vital.

According to WHO, the incidence of cancer globally has increased in just four years from 12.7m in 2008 to 14.1m new cases in 2012, when there were 8.2m deaths. Over the next 20 years, it is expected to hit 25m a year – a 70% increase.

Even the richest countries will struggle to cope with the spiraling costs of treatment and care for patients, and the lower income countries, where numbers are expected to be highest, are ill-equipped for the burden to come.

Globally, lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed among men (16.7% of cases) and the biggest killer (23.6% of deaths). Breast cancer is the most common diagnosis in women (25.2%) and caused 14.7% of deaths, which is a drop and only just exceeds lung cancer deaths in women (13.8%). Bowel, prostate and stomach cancer are the other most common diagnoses.

While more commitment to prevention and early detection is required in order to address the alarming rise in the cancer burden globally, philanthropy to support cancer research is increasingly important at a time when federal funding is being scaled back. Your support in the war against this devastating global disease is much needed.

Read the WHO fact sheet on cancer here.

For a Lampidis Cancer Foundation fundraising pack, please contact us at [email protected].

Despite reduced resources in 2014, we continue to be productive here at the Lampidis Cancer Research Lab at UM.

From in vitro to in vivo results and now completion of a Phase I trial, we have demonstrated that 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG) is able to kill the most resistant cancer cell populations found within every solid tumor, regardless of its type.

Our research this coming year will be focused on investigating how and why 2-DG can best be delivered and applied in combination with other therapeutic drugs. Mechanisms by which metabolic pathways can be targeted simultaneously to yield maximal anti-tumor effects with specific emphasis on energy as well as ER stress will be studied. And we have obtained some encouraging preliminary results: Alzet pump low-dose continuous delivery of 2-DG (below an insulin-inducing response) appears to be effective in reducing tumor growth. We have identified combinations with 2-DG and non-chemotherapeutic agents that are highly effective in vivo in controlling human melanoma cell growth.

With your support, we can accelerate our efforts to bring this universal treatment to cancer patients worldwide.

Here’s a selection of our recently published papers:

Targeting cisplatin-resistant human tumor cells with metabolic inhibitors. Sullivan EJ, Kurtoglu M, Brenneman R, Liu H, Lampidis TJ. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2013 Dec 19. [Epub ahead of print]. View Article

Increased sensitivity to glucose starvation correlates with downregulation of glycogen phosphorylase isoform PYGB in tumor cell lines resistant to 2-deoxy-D-glucose. Philips KB, Kurtoglu M, Leung HJ, Liu H, Gao N, Lehrman MA, Murray TG, Lampidis TJ. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2013 Dec 1. [Epub ahead of print]. View Article

Conversion of 2-deoxyglucose-induced growth inhibition to cell death in normoxic tumor cells. Liu H, Kurtoglu M, Cao Y, Xi H, Kumar R, Axten JM, Lampidis TJ. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol. 2013 Jul;72(1):251-62. doi: 10.1007/s00280-013-2193-y. Epub 2013 May 23. View Article

Endoplasmic reticulum stress induced by 2-deoxyglucose but not glucose starvation activates AMPK through CaMKKβ leading to autophagy. Xi H, Barredo JC, Merchan JR, Lampidis TJ. Biochem Pharmacol. 2013 May 15;85 (10):1463-77. doi: 10.1016/j.bcp.2013.02.037. Epub 2013 Mar 13. View Article

Models and discovery strategies for new therapies of retinoblastoma. Houston SK, Lampidis TJ, Murray TG. Expert Opin Drug Discov. 2013 Apr; 8(4):383-94. doi: 10.1517/17460441.2013.772975. Epub 2013 Feb 22. Review. View Article

One question we get asked a lot is “Why is your Foundation different from any other cancer foundation that funds cancer research?” A reasonable question from any potential donor, and one I asked myself before committing to the cause.

Over the past year I have learned a lot about cancer and cancer treatments, and as a layman tried to educate myself about the science behind Dr. Lampidis’ groundbreaking research. One key factor that attracted me and made me become an advocate for his work was the elegant simplicity of his science. He uses a false sugar called 2-DG to literally starve tumor cells which rely on glucose to survive in a non-oxygen (hypoxic) environment. This process (glycolysis) is so fundamental, it has survived a billion years of evolution dating back to a time when there was no oxygen in our atmosphere and the only source of energy that could be used to sustain life was sugar.

Combined with the fact that unlike other treatments that are limited to certain cancers, Dr Lampidis offers a universal approach to treating all types of cancer – and we are on the brink of something that could benefit mankind immeasurably.

So why aren’t pharmaceutical companies jumping all over this research to be first to market with a 2-DG wonder drug, you might reasonably ask? The unfortunate reality is that since this analog of glucose cannot be patented, drug companies are not financially motivated to devote their resources to help us develop it for further clinical trials. And although Dr. Lampidis has received almost continuous funding from the government in the form of National Cancer Institutes of Health Awards to investigate how and why 2-DG can best be delivered and applied in combination with other therapeutic drugs, due to dwindling federal resources, he must turn to philanthropy to keep his vital research moving forward.

Cancer is something that affects us all – whether personally or through someone who is close. As I approach the anniversary of the death of my best friend to this devastating disease this week, our efforts to bring this universal treatment to the world take on added relevance and poignancy for me personally. But whatever your motivation, if you’re looking for reasons to support us, given the far-reaching implications of Dr. Lampidis’ work the opportunity to be a part of this global legacy is hopefully reason enough.

Actress Lorena Rojas and Uno Magnetic are supporting the Lampidis Cancer Foundation through a series of plays at this month’s Microteatro event in Miami.

WHERE: Micro Theater Miami, Centro Cultura Español, 1490 Biscayne Boulevard in Miami, Florida.

WHEN: October 10 – November 10, 2013. The red carpet launch event, hosted by Lorena Rojas, will be held October 10th from 8-12pm.

WHAT: Series of unique plays, performed in shipping containers, written and produced by Latino writers and directors and acted by well-known Latina actresses such as Lorena Rojas. Please visit microtheatermiami.com for dates and times.

ON VIEW: The opening night gala event will be a red carpet affair hosted by famed actress, singer, and songwriter Lorena Rojas. Also in attendance will be Dr Theodore Lampidis, founder and principal investigator of the Lampidis Cancer Foundation and Mark Osenga CEO of UNO Magnetic. All will be available for photographs and video interviews. Guests of the launch event can purchase UNO Magnetic jewelry at a special table at the entrance with 100% of net proceeds benefitting the Lampidis Cancer Foundation. For those who wear their UNO Magnetic jewelry during the event, they will receive complementary happy hour refreshments. Artist G. Fajardo will be at the event using her skills to paint a special canvas that when completed will spell out “Attract a Cure”. UNO Magnetic jewelry will also be sold on-site during the month of the series. For more information on UNO Magnetic, go to www.unomagnetic.com. For more information on the Lampidis Cancer Foundation, go to www.lampidisfoundation.org. We hope you are able to attend if in town. Thanks to all who have helped put this event together.

La Escuela de Medicina Leonard M. Miller de la Universidad de Miami es un centro principal de las investigaciones del cáncer, y Theodore Lampidis, PhD es una de sus estrellas. El Dr Lampidis ha consagrado su carrera científica a entender las complejidades de la biología de las células tumorales y de los mecanismos mediante los cuales los cánceres se vuelven resistentes al tratamiento. Sus años de escrupuloso trabajo han dado frutos; descubrió una manera de eliminar selectivamente las poblaciones de células cancerosas más resistentes al tratamiento que se encuentran en todos los tumores sólidos: las células de crecimiento lento.

Significado: El cáncer es una de las enfermedades más devastadoras, y es responsable del fallecimiento de millones de personas al año en todo el mundo. Solamente en Estados Unidos, 550,000 personas fallecen cada año debido a esta enfermedad.

Antecedentes: La quimioterapia y la radiación del cáncer atacan la maquinaria de división de las células, y por lo tanto sólo afectan las células de división rápida.

Problema: Además de las células de crecimiento rápido, los tumores sólidos también contienen células de crecimiento lento. Por lo tanto, las células cancerosas de crecimiento lento que se encuentran en el centro de cada tumor sólido permanecen inalteradas, resistentes a la quimioterapia. Esto da como resultado que después del tratamiento las células exteriores de crecimiento rápido se vuelvan a multiplicar. Más aún, como estas células cancerosas sobreviven un entorno hostil de bajas concentraciones de oxígeno (hipoxia), se han identificado como aquellas que ocasionan las metástasis.

Solución: El hecho de que estas células de crecimiento lento se encuentran en condiciones de hipoxia es clave para este descubrimiento de cómo destruirlas selectivamente. Bajo hipoxia, la supervivencia de las células tumorales depende de la glucosa como su única fuente de energía. Con el uso de una glucosa falsa, la 2-desoxiglucosa (2-DG), el Dr Lampidis ha podido demostrar que al bloquear esta única fuente de energía, las células cancerosas hipóxicas de lento crecimiento y resistentes a la quimioterapia literalmente ¡“se mueren de hambre”! El Dr Lampidis describe los principios bioquímicos sobre los cuales basa su trabajo como: “tan fundamentales como la gravedad”.

Su descubrimiento debe tener implicaciones profundas en la terapia del cáncer, ya que ahora proporciona un medio para atacar todo el tumor al eliminar selectivamente la población de células tumorales de crecimiento lento que se encuentra en todos los tumores sólidos.

En contraste, como nuestras células normales reciben oxígeno y pueden usar otras fuentes de carbono para su supervivencia, como grasas y proteínas, cuando se las trata con 2-DG no resultan afectadas por este tratamiento. De manera muy similar a la dieta Atkins, si se eliminan los carbohidratos como fuente de energía, el organismo quema las grasas y las proteínas, siempre que haya oxígeno.

Un proceso fundamental: El Dr Lampidis está trabajando en un proceso metabólico (glicólisis) que data desde hace más de mil millones de años, cuando no había oxígeno en la atmósfera y pequeños microbios dependían del uso de azúcares como único medio de supervivencia. La glicólisis proviene del griego “glico” que significa dulce y de “lisis” que significa descomposición, y describe la ruta mediante la cual se metaboliza la glucosa. Un proceso tan fundamental, que ha sobrevivido mil millones de años de evolución, se encuentra en el corazón de su descubrimiento.

Progreso y estado actual de su investigación: Los resultados de sus estudios in vitro e in vivo lograron la aprobación de la FDA para realizar un estudio clínico de fase I, en el que se usó la 2-DG en combinación con Taxotere (un medicamento quimioterapéutico estándar que ataca solamente células tumorales de rápido crecimiento). Los resultados de este estudio (recientemente publicado) mostraron que la 2-DG es bien tolerada, y establece la base para estudios de fase II y ulteriores.

Más aún, en colaboración con el Dr Timothy Murray, un experto internacional en la investigación y el tratamiento de niños con retinoblastoma (un cáncer que afecta los ojos) han proporcionado pruebas del principio de que la 2-DG mata las células cancerosas hipóxicas de este tumor. Demostraron que junto con carboplatino, un agente quimioterapéutico, la 2-DG restablece el epitelio retinal normal que se requiere para ver. El Dr Murray ha dicho “la 2-DG puede ser lo mejor que ha surgido para esta enfermedad en los últimos 10 años”.

Necesidad de apoyo filantrópico: El Dr Murray y sus asociados están listos para emprender un estudio clínico piloto de fase I/II de pacientes con retinoblastoma, y estudios de fase II en una variedad de tipos de cáncer. El Dr Murray ha recibido numerosas indagaciones de pacientes y médicos que desean saber dónde pueden recibir tratamiento con 2-DG para sus diferentes tipos de cáncer. Sin embargo, como la 2-DG no se puede patentar, las compañías farmacéuticas no pueden proporcionar los fondos necesarios para estudiar la 2-DG en estudios clínicos, lo que se requiere para que finalmente sea usada como tratamiento universal contra el cáncer. Por lo tanto, los estudios clínicos no pueden proceder sino hasta que los fondos estén seguros.

Aunque durante los últimos 32 años el Dr Lampidis ha tenido un récord excepcional de financiamiento casi continuo del Instituto Nacional del Cáncer (National Cancer Institute) de los Institutos Nacionales de Salud (National Institutes of Health), lamentablemente debido a los menguantes fondos federales ya no puede depender del gobierno para continuar el progreso de su investigación. Además, su trabajo ha alcanzado un punto en el que se requieren más fondos para pasar su tecnología del laboratorio a la clínica.

El costo de un solo estudio clínico, que ayudaría a acercar el uso de la 2-DG por los pacientes es más de 2 o 3 millones de dólares. Para que finalmente la usen los pacientes (a través de más estudios clínicos) se requerirán aproximadamente 10 a 15 millones de dólares más. El costo requerido para mantener el trabajo investigativo de laboratorio para realizar más estudios clínicos se encuentra en el rango de 3 millones de dólares por el periodo de los próximos cinco años. Por esto, estamos iniciando una campaña para recaudar 20 millones de dólares.

Al igual que con las iniciativas más importantes, se requieren los esfuerzos colectivos de un grupo diverso de personas (no sólo el creador) para llevar una idea médica hasta el uso clínico real, debido a que hay tantos obstáculos a vencer. El Dr Lampidis y sus colegas de la investigación se encuentran a punto de lograr varios avances importantes, pero sin los fondos necesarios para apoyar esta vital investigación, el logro del uso clínico es poco realista.

Si le interesa ayudar a lograr que esta innovadora investigación pase por estudios clínicos apropiados a fin de que se pueda usar para ayudar a salvar vidas, por favor envíe sus donativos a la siguiente dirección especificando lo siguiente:

Por favor haga su donativo pagadero a: Lampidis Cancer Foundation

Envíelo a: Lampidis Cancer Foundation, 16404 SW 86 Court, Miami FL 33157, USA

Todos los donativos son deducibles de impuestos, y cada donador recibirá una confirmación de agradecimiento por escrito de parte de Lampidis Cancer Foundation que se puede usar para propósitos impositivos.

Información sobre los antecedentes del Dr Theodore J. Lampidis: El Dr Lampidis se graduó en Brooklyn College con un grado de licenciatura en ciencias, con especialización en química, y recibió su grado de maestría en microbiología médica en la Universidad de Nueva York. Recibió su PhD en inmunología y microbiología de la Universidad de Miami, y completó su capacitación postdoctoral en la División de Oncología del Departamento de Medicina de la Escuela de Medicina de Harvard. En 1983 regresó a Miami y se integró al Departamento de Oncología de Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center en UM como profesor asistente, y en 1995 obtuvo el grado de profesor titular.

El Dr Lampidis continúa siendo un líder mundial en investigaciones sobre el cáncer y la 2-DG. Ha publicado más de 100 artículos de investigación. Tiene un récord excepcional de financiamiento casi continuo de NIH/NCI para su trabajo en cáncer, y ha sido ponente invitado en muchos institutos de cáncer de prestigio en todo el mundo, entre ellos: Oxford University en Oxford, Inglaterra; Max Planck Institute en Munich, Alemania; The Paul Brousse Institute en Villejuif, Francia; The Royal Marsden Hospital en Londres, Inglaterra; The Harvard Medical School en Boston, Massachusetts; The Albert Einstein Cancer Center y The Sloan Kettering Cancer Center en NYC, NY; The MD Anderson Cancer Center en Houston, Texas y muchos otros. Su trabajo en UM ha pasado del laboratorio a la clínica, dando como resultado estudios clínicos de fase I y de fase II iniciados por el investigador.

The Lampidis Cancer Foundation has partnered with interactive lifestyle company Uno Magnetic and famed Latina celebrity Lorena Rojas to raise awareness and funding for the groundbreaking cancer research of Dr Theodore Lampidis.

Founded by the award-winning designer Luis Pons, Uno Magnetic will support the Foundation through the sale of their innovative range of interactive bracelets. A special landing page on unomagnetic.com features the work of Dr Lampidis and showcases the products available for purchase. The bracelets retail for between $10-$14 per item and 100% of the net proceeds from the sale of each bracelet will go to the Foundation.

The partnership is supported by Lorena Rojas, a Mexican actress, singer, and song writer who is best known for her leading roles in popular Telenovelas. A cancer sufferer herself, Ms Rojas is a keen supporter of the potentially life-changing work of Dr Lampidis and is helping to raise awareness among her considerable fan base.

Dr Lampidis is the Professor of Cell Biology at the University of Miami and a member of Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. He is a pioneer in exploring and exploiting the unique usage of glucose in cancer cells using simple sugars such as 2-Deoxyglucose (2-DG) to kill tumors. His discovery is based on the fact that the cancer cells most resistant to chemotherapy found within the inner core of all solid tumors do not receive enough oxygen (hypoxia) and therefore must rely exclusively on sugar to survive. Feeding these hypoxic tumor cells a false sugar such as 2-DG effectively ‘starves’ them to death.

Unfortunately, 2-DG is not patentable and so pharmaceutical companies are not interested in investing in future clinical trials. Hence, the Lampidis Cancer Foundation has been campaigning to raise $10 million to support Dr Lampidis’ pioneering work on 2-DG through the next stages of clinical trials, with the single-minded goal of making it readily available to cancer sufferers around the world.

According to Lorena Rojas, “As a cancer sufferer myself, I am only too acutely aware of the effect this disease can have on people. But now, thanks to Dr Theodore Lampidis’ groundbreaking research, there is hope for millions of people like me who are affected by this devastating global disease.”

Mark Osenga, CEO of Uno Magnetic, said, “Thanks to Dr Lampidis’ remarkable work, we could be on the brink of a cure for cancer, and hopefully the sale of Uno bracelets will help to ensure that his research is brought to fruition for the benefit of Lorena and millions of people like her.”

“We are extremely grateful to Lorena and Uno Magnetic for supporting our fundraising endeavors,” said Lee Phillips, Executive Director at the Lampidis Cancer Foundation. “This unique collaboration will hopefully help us accelerate Phase 2 clinical trials for 2-DG and make this potential cure readily available to cancer sufferers around the world.”

For further information on Uno Magnetic visit www.unomagnetic.com.

For further information on the Lampidis Cancer Foundation visit www.lampidisfoundation.org.