Our History
Califia, a new company to fight cancer, has been 35 years in the making.
Its founder, Dr. Kelner, was an original inventor of a novel class of compounds called illudofulvenes.
Jack O’ Lantern mushrooms are poisonous to humans since they contain chemical compounds, called illudins, which are thought to provide the mushroom with antibacterial and antifungal properties. The illudins are too toxic in their natural form to be administered as a drug. By 1995, Kelner and colleagues developed several illudofulvenes with specificity against cancer and with reduced toxicity to normal cells. This work led to hydroxymethylacylfulvene (HMAF), which became known as irofulven (first-generation illudofulvene).
A pharmaceutical company tested irofulven in human clinical trials in 1,200 patients.
In some patients, responses were remarkable. Below are scans of an 18-year-old sarcoma patient who had failed multiple chemotherapeutic regimens and radiation therapy. The tumor (outlined in red) was compressing the heart and lungs, causing difficulty walking or breathing. The image below shows a dramatic shrinkage of the tumor after three rounds of irofulven.
The trials were halted due to the pharma’s acquisition by a larger company.
Califia, while rooted in the legacy of irofulven, represents new learnings and newly patented compounds. See What’s New (CAP-0121).
Scans of an 18-year-old sarcoma patient who had failed multiple chemotherapeutic regimens and radiation therapy. The tumor (outlined in red) was compressing the heart and lungs, causing difficulty walking or breathing. The image below shows a dramatic shrinkage of the tumor after three rounds of irofulven.