A Tiny Impact of Avastin on Cancer (Solid Tumors) and NF Therapy

Avastin, an anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody, was recently reported to improve
the hearing of NF2 (schwannoma) patients (4 in 10) in trials conducted by
a Mass General team. However, since Avastin from Genentech costs around
$15,000 monthly (around 500 times as much as Bio 30), only a few rich NF
patients can afford to keep taking it for the rest of their life.

Serious oncologists in general keep ignoring Avastin (among the most expensive
drugs), simply because it alone does not prolong the life span of cancer
patients. For just like Thalidomide, Avastin could reduce only the size
of solid tumors (by 50% or less) by blocking angiogenesis, but does not
block the metastasis which would kill the patients eventually. Actually
the old drug "Thalidomide" is far more inexpensive and safer than Avastin
for the same purpose (blocking angiogenesis).

NF Patients need an inexpensive "multi-functional" drug which blocks both
metastasis and growth (division) of cancer cells, in addition to angiogenesis,
as do propolis (Bio 30) and a few other anti-PAK drugs on the market such
as DPM (dipyridamole) and Ivermectin which pass BBB (blood brain barrier).

By the way, unlike Thalidomide, Avastin itself does not pass BBB, but just
sequesters VEGF from the blood circulation. Another limitation of Avastin
is the short-life of its therapeutic effect. For it is just a derivative
(humanized) antibody from mouse. In other words, it is similar to human
antibody, but not exactly the same. Therefore, soon or later, patients'
immune system would produce a neutralizing antibody which destroys Avastin.
Thus, the impact of Avastin on cancer/NF therapy would be rather tiny in
a long run, although its "price tag" is currently huge.