THE FOUNDATION

The Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America has a mission: to fund research that will lead to the quickest cure for mesothelioma. Mesothelioma, a cancer of the lining of the lungs caused by asbestos exposure, had very few treatment options back in the year 2001. Since then the Foundation has funded the opening of the Mesothelioma Laboratory under the supervision of Dr. Gill at the USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center in Los Angeles. In the process, Dr. Gill (a board certified oncologist and hematologist) had received FDA approval from the U.S. Government to do Phase I Clinical Trials on a new mesothelioma treatment drug called Veglin, whose research was 100% funded by the Foundation. It proved successful in Phase I and Phase II of the clinical trials for Veglin began July 30th, 2004. We are all very excited at the possibilities of a more effective treatment over what presently was available for mesothelioma victims.

Also, the Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America's mission includes supporting cancer research and (or) clinical trials that include other cancers as long as the published research and or governing publishing authors, University, National Cancer Institute, or FDA plan to include Mesothelioma as one of the targeted cancers. The ultimate goal is to promote and make available more innovative treatment options as we attempt to help mesothelioma victims.

Dr. Parkash Gill of the USC Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center had previously announced that the new cancer fighting drug EPH-B4 has been submitted to the FDA for Clinical Trials and is available to qualifying mesothelioma patients. We are continuously searching for better and better clinical trial results until this battle is won. The current Clinical Trial of EPH-B4 is available to newly diagnosed patients who have not undergone any conventional treatment options, as well as to those patients who have exhausted all other treatment options such as surgery and chemotherapy. This is truly exciting because Dr. Gill has reported that EPH-B4 has shown great promise as a solo treatment or in conjunction with other drugs like Alimta, Cisplatin and Carboplatin. Dr. Gill has requested for the National Cancer Institute approval to support EphB4 in clinical trials in conjunction with active immunotherapy experimental treatment PD-1 antibody.

Since last year, 2021, Dr. Gill has gotten FDA approval for Phase 2 Clinical Trials utilizing EphB-4 with Mercks PD-1, both immunotherapy drugs tied in with genetic testing of a cancer victim's DNA to maximize it's benefits.