Pleco’s product development is based on a key discovery whereby significant differences were found in the levels of toxic metals in serum between AML-patients and controls. The findings demonstrate that elevation of toxic metals is associated with inferior survival.

Key proteins in cancer are sensitive to metal composition in the tumour microenvironment. By changing the burden of metal composition in cancer cells, we can restore the natural function, reducing the function of oncogenes, and increasing the function of suppressor genes, thus changing the balance in favour of health versus disease.

Many metals appear to be implicated, as either high levels of toxic metals (cadmium, lead, mercury and arsenic) or low levels of essential metals (magnesium, rubidium, calcium) are associated with inferior survival.

Exploratory studies are being conducted to evaluate the effect of metal rebalancing in AML combined with standard of care chemotherapy. 

Aberrant metal profiles are seen in many types of cancers and in non-cancer indications. These options will be explored in due time.