Aslem extends the life of cancer patients

Cancer is a disease that requires long-term treatment regimens. If taking a 6-month course of treatment when using Thymongen (Bulgaria), it costs nearly 5 million VND, American medicine must be 7 million VND, while using Aslem only costs 1 million VND.

At the end of December 2006, the website of the Ministry of Science and Technology reported that Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dao Kim Chi and colleagues at the Department of Biology, Hanoi University of Pharmacy have officially synthesized the success of Aslem and prepared into an injection drug composition. This is an immunomodulatory drug first created in Vietnam to stimulate immune function cells, increase life time for cancer patients. This good news was immediately welcomed by many cancer patients with new hope.

400,000 tubes of Aslem every year

Dr. Dao Kim Chi introduced Aslem products to be tested.(Photo: Ministry of Science and Technology)

On January 17, responding to reporter of Labor Newspaper, Associate Professor and Doctor Dao Kim Chi said her research topic lasted more than 30 years, inherited from the time of Prof. Ton That Tung still alive. But it was not until 2005 that her team and her collaborators synthesized Aslem completely. Previously, Vietnamese scientists were only able to synthesize Aslem, a non-specific immune stimulant with a chemical nature of Glycyl-funtunmin hidrochlorid- extracted from a leaf in Africa by Prof. Ton That Tung brought from France to put on cancer treatment. This leaf is provided by a Frenchman but this source is no longer available. 'We had to find supplies from the Netherlands to replace and so far have been able to synthesize Glycyl-funtunmin completely, the main material for making Aslem' - Associate Prof. Dr. Kim Chi said.

Kim Chi also said that the ingredients for Aslem synthesis are no longer difficult: 'We have the capacity to supply Aslem to produce 400,000 Aslem pipes every year'. If nothing changes, in 2007 Vinh Phuc Pharmaceutical Joint Stock Company (VINPHACO) will produce Aslem according to GMP standards.

Safe and highly effective

Previously, since 2004, Aslem immunomodulatory injection has been tested by adjuvant treatment group for breast cancer in K Hospital. The results showed that 74 patients in the Aslem adjuvant treated group prolonged the life expectancy by 3 years compared to patients who did not receive adjuvant treatment. The number of relapses in the non-adjuvant group was also higher than that of the Aslem group. 'It is a great result that the research team obtained during the research and testing process' - Associate Prof. Dr. Dao Kim Chi said.

After being clinically tested for hundreds of cancer patients in solid form as well as toxicity testing, side effects, drug interactions ., the team concluded that Aslem is safe and highly effective in treatment. The research team produced the Aslem trial and put it into cancer patients. Cost (supported by the Ministry of Health) is about VND 1,000 / tube. Next year, if manufactured in finished product according to GMP standard, the price may be slightly higher.

Currently, the number of cancer patients is increasing. Thinking of every patient treated with Aslem, there is more hope to extend life and increase the quality of life, how close their relatives are. That is the source of immeasurable happiness for researchers.

Quang Thai