AstraZeneca, Cancer Research UK Partnership Sees Lung Cancer Drug Success
British drug maker AstraZeneca announced that its current partnership with Cancer Research UK Manchester Institute has resulted in some potential good news about the effects of its investigational drug AZD3965 on small cell lung cancer cells.
Scientists from the Manchester Institute reported that the drug could be effective in treating SCLC, currently the most aggressive form of lung cancer. They looked at one treatment approach that takes advantage of the change in energy production in tumors. Using the new drug to target one of key molecules in cancer cell glycolysis showed potential in halting tumor growth. AZD3965 was able to reduce tumor progression by increasing the level of lactate produced in cells that are lacking an alternate lactate transporter monocarboxylate transporter 4 (MCT4).
Professor Caroline Dive, leader of the study, said, “Small cell lung cancer has a dismal prognosis and we have seen little improvement in treatment for many years. More targeted therapies are needed to help those patients whose tumors become resistant to chemotherapy. This new drug – AZD3965 – is currently in clinical trials, but it has not yet been tested in small cell lung cancer.”
The team found that patients with lung cancer with high levels of MCT1 were associated with a worse prognosis. Professor Dive and her team propose that AZD3965 be investigated in patient groups with high MCT1 levels.
Susan Galbraith, head of the oncology innovative medicines unit at AstraZeneca, said, “Targeting tumor cell metabolism represents a novel and exciting approach, and we are delighted to be working with The University of Manchester and Cancer Research UK to investigate the utility of AZD 3965 as a potential novel cancer treatment.” The company recently gave an update on its oncology pipeline at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) meeting held last month in Chicago.
Cancer Research UK launched its new Lung Cancer Centre of Excellence earlier this month, which will run under the leadership of Professor Dive and Professor Charles Swanton at University College London (UCL). The Centre will bring together international experts in lung cancer research and will facilitate larger and more complex clinical trials. Cancer Research UK hopes the new Centre will advance the development of new drugs against lung cancer as well as early detection of the disease.