Abstract
Azoximer bromide (AZB) was identified as an immunomodulator, and was initially developed and currently successfully indicated as one of several natural polyelectrolytes, a vaccine adjuvant, and an effective agent for the treatment of infectious and inflammatory diseases of viral, bacterial, and fungal origin. AZB has the potential to increase an individual’s resistance to local and general infection and is indicated for the treatment of viral infections, and has also demonstrated clinical efficacy in the treatment of a variety of secondary immunodeficiencies. However, AZB may offer long-term promise beyond use against infection. Multiple clinical trials and research studies in cancer patients have reported favourable outcomes with AZB as well as an optimal safety and tolerability profile. The findings raise the possibility of direct antitumor properties. This literature review analyses the novel mechanisms that mediate the AZB direct anticancer effects. Overall, the evidence suggests that AZB has the hallmark of an agent that could be used to support existing cancer treatments at different stages of disease.
Highlights
The early identification and success of immunomodulatory molecules known as adjuvants in enhancing immune responses to antigen-based vaccines, could at best be called empirical in fashion [1, 2]
Research at the State Scientific Centre of the Institute of Immunology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation during the 1970s and 80s was focused on identifying adjuvants for flu vaccines, aimed at enhancing the immune responses to infection [5,6,7]
azoximer bromide (AZB) was the lead compound derived from a class of heterochain aliphatic polyamines and it was Azoximer Bromide: Mystery, Serendipity, Promise licenced along with a hemagglutinin glycoprotein-based influenza vaccine, Grippol® [8]
Summary
The early identification and success of immunomodulatory molecules known as adjuvants (from the Latin word adiuvare meaning ‘to help’) in enhancing immune responses to antigen-based vaccines, could at best be called empirical in fashion [1, 2]. In a double-blind placebo-controlled study of AZB as an adjuvant with 5-fluorouracil (stage III-IV colon cancer) in patients undergoing radical or palliative surgical treatment, exposure to AZB was associated with increases in relative and absolute peripheral CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ cell counts [60]. In children with Hodgkin’s lymphoma and histiocytosis, administration of AZB was associated with increased T-cell counts, neutrophil activity and bacterial activity, activation of humoral immunity, and decreases in tumour mass of 20–30% [66].
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