Finnish chewing gum could prevent cancer in smokers and drinkers

Researchers from Helsinki University have found a way to fight cancer by chewing gum.  The gum contains a substance which breaks down carcinogens in the mouth caused by smoking and drinking. Biohit Diagnostics, the Finnish company which owns the patent is looking for funding and partnership to develop the technology.

The inventors, Professors Mikko Salaspuro and Martti Marvola of the University of Helsinki, discovered that the amino-acid L-cysteine inactivates acetaldehyde, a carcinogen causing oral and gastric cancers, by forming a stable compound.  Acetaldehyde is dissolved from tobacco-smoke into saliva, and is produced from alcohol by microbes in the mouth.  It is also formed in the stomach after eating high-sugar and carbohydrate foods, said a statement.

Biohit Diagnostics is developing preparations which could be ingested after smoking or drinking alcohol to eliminate acetaldehyde in the mouth, stomach and large intestine.  The first such products are BioCyst capsules which release L-cysteine, and XyliCyst chewing gum.

“World wide incidence of new upper digestive tract cancers is about 2 million,” said Prof. Marvola, adding that of the 1 billion smokers in the world, those unable to quit would benefit from the technology; in developed countries up to 80 per cent of mouth, pharynx and oesophagus cancers are linked to smoking and drinking. L-cysteine could also be used to treat patients with low stomach acid (achlorhydria) which results from Helicobacter pylori infection, suffered by almost half of the global population.

According to Osmo Suovaniemi, the managing director of Biohit Oyj, Biohit Diagnostic’s parent company, “the market potential for acetaldehyde related methods and products may exceed €5 billion.”  In addition, Biohit plans to license the invention for use by the food industry to inactivate acetaldehyde present in some foodstuffs.

With production plants in Kajaani and Helsinki, Finland, Biohit focuses on the research and development of products for the screening, prevention, and diagnosis of gastrointestinal diseases.  The company has sales and marketing subsidiaries in France, Germany, Japan, Russia, and the U.K.  Biohit Diagnostics, which is seeking to raise €4.050.000 by private placements to become an independent company, has an overall global market potential of about €3.5 billion for its existing products.