Baylor College of Medicine files lawsuit regarding Kanzius research

FORT MYERS, Fla.  A local invention touted as a possible cure for cancer encountered an obstacle.

Baylor College of Medicine, where research is being done on the late Millcreek Township inventor John Kanzius’ cancer treatment machine, filed a federal lawsuit against NeoTherma Oncology, the company that owns the patent rights to the machine.

Baylor claims NeoTherma breached its $9 million, three-year contract to sponsor research on the device, paying only a small portion of the initial $3.09 million payment due by July 2015, according to court documents.

NeoTherma sent a letter stating it was terminating the contract, according to the lawsuit.

Baylor denied the factual basis for NeoTherma’s letter of termination, which they said wasn’t stated in the lawsuit, adding that the contract was terminated because of NeoTherma’s breach of the contract, documents said.

Driven by his personal experience undergoing chemotherapy, Kanzius invented his cancer treatment machine at his Sanibel home in 2004.

The machine uses a combination of microscopic pieces of metal and radio waves to destroy cancer cells. Researchers have tested the machine on pigs and smaller animals.

Kanzius passed away from B-cell leukemia with complications from pneumonia in 2009.

A court date regarding the lawsuit is scheduled for October.