Article: Promising drug for cancer treatment begins clinical trials

Summary

Researchers at City of Hope are testing a new type of cancer treatment drug. When tested in animals and cells taken from human cancers, this new drug prevented the growth of many types of cancer. Initial clinical trials in people have just started. (Posted 9/7/23)

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Promising drug for cancer treatment begins clinical trials

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RELEVANCE

Most relevant for: People with solid tumors..
It may also be relevant for:

people with metastatic or advanced cancer

Relevance: Medium-Low

Quality of Writing: Medium

Research Timeline: Animal Studies

Relevance Rating Details

What is this article about?

This article describes the first studies in animals and human cells of a new drug for cancer treatment.

Why are we reviewing this article?

This review covers a press release about early research at City of Hope on a new type of cancer treatment drug called AOH1996. The research involved early lab studies that were done before human clinical trials. More years of research will be needed to learn whether this approach will work in people. However, several news outlets covered the story, leading people to believe the drug would be available soon.

What is AOH1996 and how does it work?

AOH1996 targets PCNA (proliferating cell nuclear antigen), a protein that is present in all dividing cells. Because AOH1996 blocks PCNA, this type of drug is called a PCNA inhibitor. Since all dividing cells, including cancer cells, have this protein, this drug may be able to treat many types of cancer.

These early tests suggest that AOH1996 may target cancer cells while sparing normal cells. New approaches like this might expand the options for cancer treatment and potentially reduce how many cancers return after treatment.

Study findings

To date, all of the studies on AOH1996 have been in the lab in animals or isolated cells.
- AOH1996 prevents cells taken from human cancers from growing. It was effective on cells from breast, , brain, ovarian, cervical, skin and lung cancers. In lab tests, healthy cells were unharmed.
- In the lab, this drug works either by itself or when combined with standard chemotherapy drugs.
- When used alone, AOH1996 can prevent tumors of the nervous system, breast or lung from growing in mice.
AOH1996 has not yet been tested in people; lab research has been done only in animals and isolated cells. More research is needed to learn how this drug works and whether it is safe and useful in humans.
- The first small clinical trial in humans has started. No information is available yet on the safety or usefulness of this drug.

What does this mean for me?

This drug is only available through a clinical trial to test if it is safe and useful in humans. It will likely be a few years before we know whether this treatment will work in people. Currently, the study is only enrolling people with advanced cancers who have no further treatment options available. The study is open at City of Hope near Los Angeles, California and may open at additional sites in the future. Contact ClinicaltrialAOH1996@coh.org for more information about participating in the study.

Reference

Leffman J and Fidler K. Cancer-killing pill that annihilates tumours hailed as 'holy grail' breakthrough. METRO via MSN.com; 2023; Published online Aug 4, 2023.

Gu et al., Small molecule targeting of transcription-replication conflict for selective chemotherapy. Cell Chemical Biology; 2023; 30:1–13. Published online August 1, 2023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.07.001

Clinicaltrials.gov: AOH1996 for the Treatment of Refractory .

Disclosure: FORCE receives funding from industry sponsors, including companies that manufacture cancer drugs, tests and devices. All XRAYS articles are written independently of any sponsor and are reviewed by members of our Scientific Advisory Board prior to publication to assure scientific integrity.

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posted 9/7/23

Questions To Ask Your Doctor

Do I qualify for this clinical study?
What other clinical trials might be appropriate for me?

Open clinical trials

The following studies are looking at treatment for people with advanced .

NCT05252390: NUV-868 Alone and in Combination With PARP Inhibitors in Patients With Advanced .This study will test the safety and effectiveness of the experimental drug NUV-868 alone and combined with a in people with advanced . This study is open to people whose cancer stopped responding or progressed on PARP inhibitors.
NCT02264678: Ascending Doses of Ceralasertib in Combination With Chemotherapy and/or Novel Anti Cancer Agents. This is a study of ceralasertib administered orally in combination with chemotherapy regimens and/or novel anticancer agents to patients with advanced cancer. The study is enrolling people with inherited mutations, including , , , , , and people with tumors that are HRD-positive.
NCT04644068: Study of AZD5305 as Monotherapy and in Combination With Anti-cancer Agents in Patients With Advanced Solid Malignancies (PETRA). This research is designed to learn whether treatment with a new , AZD5305, used alone or in combination with anti-cancer agents is safe, tolerable and has anti-cancer activity in patients with advanced . The study is open to people who have previously been treated with PARP inhibitors.
NCT04267939: ATR Inhibitor Plus Study in Advanced and Ovarian Cancer. This study will look at how well people with advanced respond to treatment with the BAY1895344 in combination with the . This study is open to people with inherited mutations in , , and other genes. Contact the study coordinator for information about eligibility for people with mutations in other genes.
NCT04657068: Treatment with ATR Inhibitor for Advanced or Solid Tumors. This study will look at how well a new oral known as an ATR inhibitor works on advanced or with mutations in genes that are linked to damage repair. This study is open to people who have an inherited or acquired or mutation or whose tumors are HRD-positive. This study is open to people whose cancer stopped responding or progressed on PARP inhibitors.