At the end of November 2015 a sensational headline in the Express claimed "Cold sores are KEY to destroying cancer tumours".
This awe-inspiring lead title was followed up by a sub-line saying that a "British cancer jab", using the cold sore virus, would be available on the NHS within months.
It's definitely a cold sore cure, but not for cold sores, and here at Herstat we think it's brilliant news.
Developed by researchers at Imperial College, London, the drug, Imlygic, has been tested on one of the deadliest cancers, melanoma, and the results have been extremely positive.
The drug works by targeting cancer cells and bypassing the healthy ones using a genetically modified form of the cold sore virus which is injected directly into a tumour.
Scientists have developed a method of removing genes ICP34.5 and ICP47 from the HSV-1 virus and inserting the human gene GM-CSF to help the body's immune system "jump start". The modified herpes virus causes tumours to "burst apart".
Kevin Harrington, Professor of Biological Cancer Therapies at The Institute of Cancer Research and consultant oncologist at The Royal Marsden Hospital said, "Patients with very extensive tumours around the body have gone into remission."
He added that results of the treatment trials had been reviewed favourably by the European Medicines Agency and that it would be unusual for the drug not to be formally approved following the opinions it had received.
And the results do sound very encouraging. Professor Harrington detailed cancer patients with "few treatment options left to them" whose lives were extended after taking part in the trial. Some patients lived 18 months, and longer, following the treatment.
He added, "We know that when we treat the cancer at an earlier stage then the results are even better."
Hip Hip Hooray for the HSV-1 virus
No, here at Herstat you won't hear us saying that phrase very often, but it seems that HSV-1 might be good for something after all.
Now all we need is a cure for cold sores and we'll be ecstatic. Meanwhile, Herstat can help you alleviate the (relative) pain and discomfort of an outbreak by applying our ointment every two hours, up to five times a day.
