Viral Basis for Colorectal Cancer Sought

Two biotechnology research companies with complementary interests have teamed up to study the possible role of the JC virus in the development of colorectal cancer.

The JC virus (JCV) is a type of Humanpolyomavirus that is genetically similar to BK virus and SV40. It was discovered in 1971 and named after the two initials of a patient with progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML), a rare and usually fatal viral disease that is characterized by progressive damage or inflammation of the white matter of the brain. The virus causes PML only in cases of immunodeficiency, as in AIDS or during treatment with drugs intended to induce a state of immunosuppression such as in organ transplant patients. Several studies since 2000 have suggested that the virus is also linked to colorectal cancer, as JCV has been found in malignant colon tumors, but these findings are still controversial.

Two biotech research companies, Baylor Research Institute (Dallas, TX, USA) and Eureka Genomics (Hercules, CA, USA) have now joined forces in an effort to confirm the role of JCV in colorectal cancer.

Baylor Research Institute's will contribute its expertise and clinical resources relating to colorectal cancer and its intellectual property regarding the JC virus. Eureka Genomics will provide its highly efficient and powerful proprietary bioinformatics screening system. The parties will jointly own any intellectual property relating to the biology or etiology of cancer arising from their collaboration and will share revenues from commercialization of any potential diagnostics and treatments.

"This collaboration represents an opportunity to use next generation DNA sequencing techniques – or deep sequencing – to look for nonhuman DNA sequences in colon tumors. It will help us know how many copies of the virus are present in tumor tissues, whether the virus is integrated (i.e., actually entered into the human DNA sequences) or, as we think, exists as an independent "parasite” in the nucleus,” said Dr. C. Richard Boland, principal investigator at the Baylor Research Institute. "The long-range implications are that one could eventually immunize against this virus with the hope of preventing or delaying the development of many tumors. This relationship provides a chance to obtain confirmation and possible expansion of our original work, which in turn may accelerate achievement of that goal in humans. For this purpose, Eureka Genomics is a uniquely qualified and powerful collaborator for the Baylor Research Institute.”

Dr. H. Koshinsky, chief science officer at Eureka Genomics, said, "The components for the full validation of the association of JC virus with colorectal cancer are in place and may lead to advances in the detection of, treatment of, and even the vaccination against colorectal and other cancers.”

Related Links:
Baylor Research Institute
Eureka Genomics