
A – normal cell division, B – cancer cell division; 1 – apoptosis; 2 – damaged cell. From the National Cancer Institute. Photo credit: Wikipedia)
The results lay the foundation for researchers to plan a future phase 1 clinical trial to test the safety of the therapy in a small group of patients
Results from a recent preclinical study have shown that a new drug combination therapy being developed at Virginia Commonwealth University Massey Cancer Center effectively killed colon, liver, lung, kidney, breast and brain cancer cells while having little effect on noncancerous cells. The results lay the foundation for researchers to plan a future phase 1 clinical trial to test the safety of the therapy in a small group of patients.
“It is still too premature to estimate when a clinical trial will open to further test this drug combination therapy, but we are now in the planning phase and encouraged by the results of these laboratory experiments,” says Andrew Poklepovic, M.D., oncologist and member of the Developmental Therapeutics research program at VCU Massey Cancer Center and assistant professor in the Division of Hematology, Oncology and Palliative Care at VCU School of Medicine. “We are also encouraged by the fact that the drugs used in this therapy are either already approved by the FDA to treat certain cancers or are currently being investigated in other clinical trials.”
Featured in the journal Molecular Pharmacology, the study led by Paul Dent, Ph.D., demonstrated that the drugs sorafenib and regorafenib synergize with a class of drugs known as PI3K/AKT inhibitors to kill a variety of cancers. Sorafenib and regorafenib work by blocking the production of enzymes called kinases, which are vital to the growth and survival of cancer cells. Sorafenib is currently approved by the FDA to treat kidney and liver cancers, and regorafenib is currently approved for the treatment of colorectal cancer. However, sorafenib and regorafenib do not directly affect PI3K and AKT kinases, which are also very active in promoting cancer cell survival. The addition of a PI3K/AKT inhibitor to the combination of sorafenib and regorafenib dramatically increased cell death and was even effective against cells with certain mutations that make one or the other drug less effective.
“We know that there are certain cellular processes that are frequently dysregulated in cancers and important to cell proliferation and survival, but if you shut down one, then cells can often compensate by relying on another,” says Dent, Universal Corporation Distinguished Professor for Cancer Cell Signaling and member of the Developmental Therapeutics research program at VCU Massey Cancer Center as well as vice chair of the Department of Neurosurgery at VCU School of Medicine. “We are blocking several of these survival pathways, and the cancer cells are literally digesting themselves in an effort to stay alive.”
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Drug combination therapy
- FDA Approves Pepaxto Combination for Relapsed/Refractory Multiple Myelomaon February 26, 2021 at 4:48 pm
The agency granted accelerated approval to Pepaxto in combination with dexamethasone in adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, who received at least four prior lines of therapy.
- Lilly combination therapy for COVID-19 gets emergency use authorization from FDAon February 26, 2021 at 6:48 am
INDIANAPOLIS — A combination therapy developed by Eli Lilly to treat COVID-19 patients has received an emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. The use of bamlanivimab and ...
- US government buying 100K doses of Eli Lilly combination therapy to treat COVID-19on February 26, 2021 at 5:15 am
The U.S. government is purchasing a minimum of 100,000 doses of Eli Lilly and Company's combination therapy to treat COVID-19. The combination therapy of bamlanivimab and etesevimab received an ...
- The Biden administration buys 100,000 doses of a combination antibody treatment for high-risk Covid-19 patients.on February 26, 2021 at 3:50 am
The federal government has agreed to buy 100,000 doses of a recently authorized Covid-19 treatment from Eli Lilly, increasing the supply of such drugs for patients who are high risk of becoming ...
- Harbour BioMed Announces NMPA Approval of IND for Combination Therapy of Next Gen Anti-CTLA-4 Antibody for Treatment of NSCLC and Solid Tumorson February 25, 2021 at 6:20 pm
Harbour BioMed (HBM) (HKEX: 02142) today announced that the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has approved its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for HBM4003, the next ...
Go deeper with Google Headlines on:
Drug combination therapy
Go deeper with Bing News on:
Combination therapy
- FDA Approves Melflufen Combination for Triple-Class Refractory Multiple Myelomaon February 26, 2021 at 4:38 pm
The FDA has granted approval to melphalan flufenamide in combination with dexamethasone for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma, who have received at least ...
- US government purchases 100K doses of Eli Lilly combination therapy to treat COVID-19on February 26, 2021 at 5:32 am
The use of bamlanivimab and etesevimab together is administered to COVID-19 patients in the early stages of their diagnosis.
- The Biden administration buys 100,000 doses of a combination antibody treatment for high-risk Covid-19 patients.on February 26, 2021 at 3:50 am
The federal government has agreed to buy 100,000 doses of a recently authorized Covid-19 treatment from Eli Lilly, increasing the supply of such drugs for patients who are high risk of becoming ...
- Combination Therapy May Treat Rare Neurological Childhood Disorderson February 25, 2021 at 9:00 pm
New therapeutic technique for a rare genetic disorder that leads to childhood dementia and premature death, can bring a revolution in the approach to treating it.
- Harbour BioMed Announces NMPA Approval of IND for Combination Therapy of Next Gen Anti-CTLA-4 Antibody for Treatment of NSCLC and Solid Tumorson February 25, 2021 at 6:20 pm
Harbour BioMed (HBM) (HKEX: 02142) today announced that the China National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) has approved its Investigational New Drug (IND) application for HBM4003, the next ...