Experimental Drug Effective in Treating Many Cancer Tumors

A novel experimental drug, known as GSK923295A is showing good results in stopping cancer cells, according to the manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline.

The new experimental drug GSK923295A acts at the cellular level. It acts as inhibitor of a key protein needed for cell division called mitotic kinesin centromere-associated protein E (CENP-E). This protein is required for a cell to divide. If the protein is not produced the cell cannot divide and it dies. This is how the drug acts. It inhibits CENP-E and the cell just dies.

According to the press release, the new investigational drug has its effect on a broad range of cancer cell lines meaning that, if approved by drug administering agencies, it could help treating many different types of cancers. In addition, since the new drug is very specific in its action (at the molecular level) it may be less toxic that other drugs being used for treating cancer.

According to the press release, apoptosis, or cell death, by CENP-E inhibition occurs almost only on cancer cell and does not occur in "normal" cells. This is encouraging showing that the new drug may be selectively targeting cancer cell and not regular non-cancerous cells.

A variety of studies have shown that tumor regression is possible when cancer cells are treated with this new drug. Preclinical studies, cited by the press release, showed that the drug was effective in killing 94% of the tested breast tumor cell lines (17), 80% of the tested colon cancer lines (25), 92% of the lung cancer lines tested (26), 100% of ovarian cancer lines tested (11), and 100% of the tested prostate cancer lines (6).

The new drug has a clear advantage over other drugs being used for treating cancer patients that stems from it specific action mechanism. Since the new experimental dug targets the specific biochemical route of protein CENP-E synthesis and since this protein is expressed in very low quantities in nerve cells, the new drug GSK923295A has a very low damaging effect on nerve cells. Damage to nerve cells is characteristic of other cancer-treating drugs such as alkaloids.

Until now, this new investigational therapeutic drug has been tested in cell and animal models only and is showing good efficacy in treating cancer cells. Effects on humans should be evaluated and are planned by GlaxoSmithKline. A small clinical trial (phase I) is currently under way administering the new drug to cancer patients with advanced solid tumors. NO results on this clinical trial are available at this time.

Source:

Experimental Cancer Pharmaceuticals under Trial. American Association Cancer research. Press Release. URL:

http://www.aacr.org/home/public--media/news-releases.aspx?d=916