A US cancer institute is developing a drug that would help patients complete their treatment for non-small cell lung cancer.

Doctors at the University of Pittsburg Medical Center (UPMC) Cancer Institute reported that they are developing JP4039, which is based on the protein MNSOD-PL. It enables patients to prevent esophagitis, a side effect of treating non-small cell lung cancer with chemotherapy and radiation. The condition causes the inflammation of the esophagus, sometimes making it difficult for patients to swallow their own saliva. This prevents patients from completing their treatment and even cause dehydration. With JP4039, patients no longer suffer from the debilitating effects of esophagitis and thus could continue with their treatment. Aside from that, patients experience no side effects after taking JP4039.

The drug is currently in the development stage, and the doctors at the UPMC hope to produce it eventually into a pharmaceutical product.

Watch the video below for more details on this drug. Or click on the link to watch it on its original source: http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/physician-ed-gene-therapy.html