top | item 4636183

Dear Apple, you need to fund this. For Steve.

3 points| delinquentme | 13 years ago

"Being the richest man in the cemetery doesn't matter to me. Going to bed at night saying we've done something wonderful…that's what matters to me."

http://www.indiegogo.com/icancervirus

8 comments

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[+] ximeng|13 years ago|reply
More links - have a feeling they're going to get there with this kind of momentum.

It provides an interesting possible alternative funding model to the patent driven one. Would be better if there was some breakdown of the costs involved though, and a few more endorsements from scientists of the approach.

https://twitter.com/iCancerVirus

http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/occams-corner/2012/oct/08/...

http://www.indiegogo.com/icancervirus <- the campaign page

http://www.netpatientfoundation.org/2012/10/icancer-campaign... <- with a link to a professor's view on this approach and others under development

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/9581988/The-cancer-killer-...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/9544400/Would-I-takean-unt...

http://mashable.com/2012/10/05/steve-jobs-philanthropy/

Papers (from the Indiegogo page):

PAPER I A novel chromogranin-A promoter-driven oncolytic adenovirus for midgut carcinoid therapy. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17438105>; Leja J, Dzojic H, Gustafson E, Oberg K, Giandomenico V, Essand M. Clin Cancer Res. 2007 Apr 15;13(8):2455-62.

PAPER II Double-detargeted oncolytic adenovirus shows replication arrest in liver cells and retains neuroendocrine cell killing ability. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20111709>; Leja J, Nilsson B, Yu D, Gustafson E, Akerström G, Oberg K, Giandomenico V, Essand M.

PAPER III Adenovirus with hexon Tat-protein transduction domain modification exhibits increased therapeutic effect in experimental neuroblastoma and neuroendocrine tumors. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21957304>; Yu D, Jin C, Leja J, Majdalani N, Nilsson B, Eriksson F, Essand M. J Virol. 2011 Dec;85(24):13114-23. Epub 2011 Sep 28.

PAPER IV Oncolytic adenovirus modified with somatostatin motifs for selective infection of neuroendocrine tumor cells. <http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21490682>; Leja J, Yu D, Nilsson B, Gedda L, Zieba A, Hakkarainen T, Åkerström G, Öberg K, Giandomenico V, Essand M. Gene Ther. 2011 Nov;18(11):1052-62. doi: 10.1038/gt.2011.54. Epub 2011 Apr 14.

[+] delinquentme|13 years ago|reply
An interesting thing that you mention the funding model... Apparently this is a modified virus which already exists WITHIN humans. And as the telegraph article states, it seems the concept is just too simple to work. However the scientific community seems to feel differently.
[+] sdoering|13 years ago|reply
Why only speak to Apple? Why not Bill Gates and his foundation. Why not the Swedish government.

OK, I see, that Steve Jobs died of this type of cancer. And it is his death-anniversary.

But why not show, that first of all, it was the "open source"-way of Prof Magnus Essand, that inspired the makers of this campaign?

I believe, that some people might be put off by the "Apple"-centric headline. Maybe something more inclusive might work better? Just my humble opinion.

But thanks for sharing non the less. Great idea and I really hope for this to be funded.

[+] manuscreationis|13 years ago|reply
>Why only speak to Apple? Why not Bill Gates and his foundation. Why not the Swedish government.

Couldn't agree more. The focus on this being the "Jobs Cancer" is, in my opinion, a very narrow approach.

I do hope this gets funded, however. It's completely a worthwhile cause.

[+] delinquentme|13 years ago|reply
I completely agree that major sources of funding should be tapped for this. However being that the VISIONARY behind apple is no longer with us because of this very real and very specific cancer ... I mean is this not tailor-made??
[+] manuscreationis|13 years ago|reply
I think any attempt at curing cancer is to be commended, but the fact that they open with this being "The Cancer that killed Steve Jobs" kinds of turns me off...

They name drop him at least 3 times, and it just seems like they're going off his name to help get their (completely admirable and entirely worthwhile) project funded.

The sad fact is, it will probably be more effective than any approach that doesn't leverage someones famous name.

Apple should fund it, however, because of how much of an impact Jobs had on their success and organization as a whole. Funding research to prevent other people from suffering like he did seems like a socially responsible thing to do, especially for a company with a war chest larger than some economies.

[+] delinquentme|13 years ago|reply
The thing is to look at science as an antagonist to "pop culture" is a reductionist mindset. And would it be rather poetic as well as great market savvy for them to sponsor something like this?
[+] mtgx|13 years ago|reply
Steve Jobs wasn't exactly known for philanthropy.
[+] delinquentme|13 years ago|reply
This would fall under the category of " Watching your own ass "

... Did he not have a private jet on standby at all times in order to land his liver?