Magic bullet.

Fifty years ago Dr. Paul Zamecnik (Harvard University) began pursuing his theory that malfunctioning proteins were the key to disease. The 1953 discovery of the structure of DNA gave a great boost to his work, in showing how DNA organized the making of proteins. Using this knowledge, he programmed DNA so that it would destroy defective proteins. This DNA is known as antisense. He saw that it had pharmaceutical potential and published his work in 1978, to great acclaim, but there were difficulties in turning it to practical purposes. However, the 1980s increase in expertise in DNA technology revived interest in antisense. At London's Royal Marsden Hospital a clinical trial of antisense as cancer treatment is in its second year. Dr. David Cunningham (Royal Marsden Hospital), Dr. Finbarr Cotter (University College Hospital, London) and some of their patients describe their experiences of the trial. Despite setbacks, described in detail, there are grounds for hope that it will be possible to use antisense in the fight against cancer and 86-year old Dr. Zamecnik has returned to his laboratory to try to overcome some side-effects problems of the treatment.