Gay Men's Health Crisis "Treatment Issues"; Vol. 8, No. 7 - August 1994
David Gold

Initially, according to Dr. Yanto Linardi-Eskandar of Dr. Gallo's lab, a KS cell line was put into six mice. In the two males, the KS lesions grew and the mice died. But in the four females, all of whom became pregnant, tumors did not develop, even after delivery.

The researchers then tried to isolate the time during pregnancy in which the greatest protection against KS tumors occurs. KS cells were put into pregnant mice during early pregnancy, when high levels of the "beta sub-unit" of HCG are found, and no tumors developed. However, when the cells were put into mice during late pregnancy when the "alpha sub-unit" levels are predominant, very small tumors developed. This suggests to the researchers that the "beta sub-unit" of HCG has the greatest anti-KS properties.

Dr. Linardi-Eskandar now reports that HCG has been tested in "more than 500 mice" with KS lesions, using both intralesional (directly into the lesion) and intramuscular (systemic) injections of 50 to 100 International Units (IU) per ten grams of mouse weight, three times per week. The results have been "very encouraging," he said.

In addition, there are unconfirmed accounts that HCG has been given to three people with AIDS-related KS. One individual from the West Coast told Treatment Issues that he began treatment with HCG for his KS in July of this year. He is receiving HCG therapy with the support of his physician, who gave him a prescription for the drug. This indivual consulted with researchers who suggested that a regimen of one IU per ten grams of body weight (100 IU per kilogram) may be an appropriate dose to consider (this is 50 to 100 times less than the dosing regimen given to mice). At this rate, a 73 kilogram man would be given 7,300 IU. However, since HCG is sold in doses of 5,000 IU per vial, this individual is starting at the 5,000 IU dose three times per week.

After three weeks of administering HCG, this individual reports that he has yet to see an effect on his KS lesions. A clinical study of HCG in individuals with KS is planned at the University of Southern California (Parkash Gill, M.D., 213/224-6668). Dr. Gill, a leading KS researcher, says that his study will evaluate HCG as both an intralesional and intramuscular injection.

A number of companies have approval to market HCG, including Wyeth Ayerst (brand name "APL"). There is, at this point, no definitive information about what HCG may do in immune- compromised individuals or how it may interact with other HIV therapies. According to the Physicians Desk Reference, injectable HCG may cause significant side effects. Among them are headache, irritability, aggressive behavior, and phallic or testicular enlargement.

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