Algerian, Chinese researchers develop new anti-cancer agent

ALGIERS -- Algerian and Chinese researchers have developed a new anti-cancer agent through nanotechnology in the province of Oran, western Algeria, local media reported on Thursday.

This anti-cancer agent is called "Imdendrim", as it treats solid tumors resistant to conventional treatment, the El Khabar newspaper reported.

It was presented during a conference on cancer on Wednesday organized by the Research Center in Health Sciences (ATRSS) and the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, in collaboration with the University of Tlemcen.

It has been developed by Hafid Belhadj Tahar of French Association for the Advancement Medical Research and Sadeg Nourreddine of the Researcher Laboratory Toxicology in Paris, both Algerians in France, in collaboration with Chinese professor Yang Guanghua, founder of Chinese biomedical firm TeleBio.

"This is the first time that this cancer agent, patented in 2015, is presented in Algeria," said Tahar, professor of pharmacology and chemistry.

After several successful tests on animals, a first experiment was performed last November at Zhejiang University Hospital in China on a 50-year-old Chinese man suffering from end-stage colon cancer with multiple metastases to liver and lungs.

A single injection into his liver tumor was performed and he showed impressive signs of healing after only three weeks of treatment, Tahar said.

For his part, Noureddine noted that compared with conventional treatment, Imdendrim's cost is very acceptable, adding that 15 other patients suffering from end-stage metastases will receive this treatment soon in Romania.

Noureddine expressed his wish to bring this new treatment to Algeria, saying "hopefully all the conditions for starting to apply this nanotechnology will be gathered, notwithstanding the training of the medical staff."

Yang indicated that this anticancer agent is "a real revolution in the world of nanotechnology and medicine in general," adding that it is likely to be tested on light tumors, and even the breast cancer.

The University of Tlemcen in western Algeria is due to set up a technological platform dedicated to developing the "Nano gun" technology in Algeria in collaboration with the three professors.