New cancer drug in U-M heads discovered clinical trials

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Researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center a new drug called AT 406 with potential have developed for the treatment of several types of cancer.

A study, published this week in the journal of medicinal chemistry, showed that AT 406 effective proteins to block the normal cell death goals from occurring. These proteins blocking not damage, normal cells dying tumour cells. The researchers believe that the drug could be used potentially alone or in combination with other treatments.

The normal cell death is called, apoptosis, what keeps normal cells in check. If apoptosis is disturbed, cells reproduce out of control, which is a hallmark of human cancer.

"Removing key apoptosis blockages in tumor cells is a completely new cancer therapeutic approach and would have use for the treatment of many types of human tumors," says study author Shaomeng Wang, PhD., Warner-Lambert/Parke-Davis, Professor in medicine and Director of cancer drug discovery at the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center program.

Wang's lab pursuing new cancer treatments aimed this cell death pathway since 2003. His team designed and AT-406 and tested in 2006 in the laboratory. The small molecule drug raises directly on the protein - inhibitor of apoptosis proteins or the IAP-that block cell death called. The researchers found that AT 406 destroyed these proteins in cancer cells. In the meantime, the drug had little to no effect on normal cells.

In animal models the drug shrank tumors but fewer side effects caused. The drug should be taken through the mouth, researchers say as traditional intravenous chemotherapy management is simplified.

A co-founder of Wang are licensed patent applications for the drug exclusively for Ascenta Therapeutics, private property, clinical stage biopharmaceutical company. After extensive testing, Ascenta started the first clinical trial in 2010 testing AT 406 to the treatment of cancer. This study, which is tested in all solid tumors is available at the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duke University, and the Mayo Clinic. Ascenta has also recently opened a second study with AT 406 high-risk acute myeloid leukemia in the U-M comprehensive cancer center. Several more studies are planned.

"Our aim and our passion is in new and effective drugs for patients to translate our science and discovery," says Wang. "I am me, see the drug, we have designed, manufactured and tested in our laboratory now patients is given here in the same building."

Note for patients: AT 406 is still in the early stages of testing. See more on clinical trials on the U-M comprehensive cancer center here.

Additional authors: Qian CAI, Haiying Sun, Yuefeng Peng, Jianfeng Lu, Zaneta Nikolovska Coleska, Donna McEachern, Liu Liu, Su Qiu, ChaoYie Yang, Rebecca Miller, Han yi, Tao Zhang and Duxin Sun, all from U-M; Sanmao Kang, Ming Guo, Lance Leopold and Dajun Yang, everything from Ascenta Therapeutics

Finance: Breast Cancer Research Foundation, National Cancer Institute, Ascenta Therapeutics and the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center

Disclosure: Shaomeng Wang has shares and stock options in Ascenta and serves as a consultant for Ascenta.

Reference: Journal of medicinal chemistry, DOI: 10.1021/jm101505d, 28 March 2011

Source:
University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center