City of Hope Seeks Volunteers for a Virus Study

City of Hope
Friday, 28 May 2004

City of Hope's bone marrow and stem cell transplant program is seeking healthy adults 18 to 65 years old for a study of vaccines against a virus called Cytomegalovirus (CMV), which can cause post-treatment infection in some cancer patients.

While many people have an inactive form of the virus without knowing it and live long, healthy lives, a small number of people develop symptoms—some after a bone marrow or stem cell transplant.

The purpose of the study is to establish an optimal safe dose for the vaccines, which were developed at City of Hope in a program that dates back 20 years.

Study participants should be prepared to receive four injections of the investigational vaccines and provide four blood samples over 12 weeks, then be evaluated for an additional 9 months.

If you are interested in making a commitment to participate in the study, or would like more information, call 626-256-HOPE, extension 60102, and indicate your interest in the CMV vaccine study.

The study, sponsored by a National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant, supports an NIH goal of eradicating CMV.

City of Hope Cancer Center is one of the world's leading research and treatment centers for cancer, diabetes, HIV/AIDS and other life-threatening diseases. A pioneer in the fields of bone marrow transplantation and genetics, City of Hope is a Comprehensive Cancer Center, the highest designation of the National Cancer Institute, and a founding member of the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. City of Hope's scientific knowledge is shared with medical centers locally and globally, helping patients around the corner and around the world.

For more information, or to contact City of Hope, see their website at: www.cityofhope.org