Friday, April 25, 2008

Google-BeatSarcoma Team Runs 'The Relay'


On April 19 and 20, 12 Googlers and their fabulous drivers, Evan and Francois, formed the Google-BeatSarcoma team and competed in a 199 miles relay from Calistoga to Santa Cruz. Nat Criou, Carla Swiryn, Parker Lewis, Sarah Peterson, Lee Anne Grant, Hayley Lambert, Megan Serow, Debbie Leight, Lilly Wolfson, Christina Chiou, Katie Mason and Megan O'Connor ran to raise awareness of sarcoma.


The relay was for the benefit of Organs'r'us. In addition to supporting this so worthy cause, the team raised hundreds of dollars for BeatSarcoma.


Despite a hunt for running uniforms, a never-ending wait at the van rental place, cold nights, confusing directions and sore muscles, everyone supported each other working as a closely-knit team and turned the event into an unforgettable weekend. After 16 gallons of water, 15 Gatorade bottles, 30 packets of GU and energy blocks, 48 Ibuprofen, 2 hours of sleep and many other power items, the team crossed the finish line in 30 hours 01 min. Congratulations!


Sarcoma is both little known by the general public and little understood by the medical community. Research will address the latter. YOU can make a huge difference on the former with this kind of small and easy touch. So if you are participating in a sporting or social event, think about team names, clothing or signs that can intrigue people and remind them of sarcoma. And if you need ideas or any kind of materials, don't hesitate to email us.

Just another leg on our race toward a cure!

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Rexin-G Press Release

Second Phase Opens With Higher Dose Regimens SAN MARINO, Calif., April 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Epeius Biotechnologies Corporation announced today that Interim Analysis of an on-going Phase I/II study of Rexin-G for pancreatic cancer confirmed Rexin-G's anti-tumor activity with no major toxicity in patients with metastatic chemotherapy-resistant pancreatic cancer. The clinical trial design includes 5 escalating doses of intravenous Rexin-G ranging from 1 x 10e11 cfu twice a week to 4 x 10e11 cfu three times a week for 4 weeks. Treatment cycles are repeated if
the patient exhibits Grade 1 or less toxicity. Interim analysis showed no dose limiting toxicities in 9 evaluable patients who received Dose Levels 1-3. Furthermore, the analysis showed decrease in tumor size or disease stabilization (by RECIST), decreased metabolic activity in tumors (by PET-CT scan), reduction in tumor marker levels, and clinical benefit in patients receiving Dose Level 3. The second phase of the Rexin-G study has now opened wherein six
patients will receive Dose levels 4 and 5, respectively, as the Phase I/II adaptive study design
continues to evaluate the over-all safety of Rexin-G and to determine the optimal dosing regimen for Rexin-G that would document the clinical benefits required to support a Phase II/III pivotal trial.

According to Dr. Sant P. Chawla, Principal Investigator of the Phase I/II study, "I am happy with the positive results of Rexin-G seen in pancreatic cancer, and look forward to obtaining even better results with progressively higher doses of Rexin-G."
Dr. Chawla is currently conducting three Los Angeles-based Phase I/II clinical trials using Rexin-G in sarcoma, pancreatic cancer, and breast cancer, and a Phase II study of Rexin-G for osteosarcoma. For further information concerning these clinical trials, please contact Dr. Erlinda M. Gordon at egordon@epeiusbiotech.com.
Rexin-G(R) is the world's first and so far only targeted injectable genetic medicine that has been
validated in the clinic (Nature Reviews/Genetics 2007). Injected intravenously, the targeted
nanoparticles are designed to seek out and destroy both primary tumors and metastatic cancers that have spread throughout the body. The FDA has granted Orphan Drug Status for Rexin-G for the treatment of pancreatic cancer while the Philippine BFAD has granted accelerated approval of Rexin-G for the treatment of all solid tumors that are resistant to standard chemotherapy.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Individual photos now available for the BeatSarcoma 5k Fun Run

You can view them, order download and prints HERE
All proceeds go to BeatSarcoma.

Friday, April 4, 2008

Willie Williams' 5K Fun Run Pictures



http://picasaweb.google.com/BeatSarcoma/Willies#

Willie Williams embarks on a BeatSarcoma expedition


Willie Williams (second from left), a synovial sarcoma patient, reaches the finish line of the BeatSarcoma 5K Fun Run, surrounded and supported by his friends - You can read about Willie's story HERE.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

BeatSarcoma 5K Fun Run Results

Check the results HERE
Check the updated webpage HERE

As promised, our Founder (read her story) participated in the race running a little over 9 min/mile. She managed to catch up on sleep while running apparently...

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

BeatSarcoma 5K Fun Run Photo Albums







Full album available at: http://picasaweb.google.com/BeatSarcoma/BeatSarcoma5KFunRunVolunteers
http://picasaweb.google.com/BeatSarcoma/BeatSarcoma5KFunRunPreRace
http://picasaweb.google.com/BeatSarcoma/BeatSarcoma5KRaceStart
http://picasaweb.google.com/BeatSarcoma/AfterTheRace

BeatSarcoma 5K Fun Run

Sunday, March 30, BeatSarcoma held its first 5K Fun Run and Walk at San Francisco's Golden Gate Park. Thank you so much to everyone who have contributed to making this event a huge success. We were so moved by so much energy and generosity. There were nurses running for their patients, patients' friends, family members; members of our Founder's medical team came to volunteers; the volunteers from the Lowell High School did a fantastic job with registration, refreshments and T-shirt distribution.

Together, it looks like we have met our fundraising goal of $10,000 for sarcoma research!*







More pictures to come soon!

* we have yet to finalize the accounting