Scientists have discovered a new method for targeting the KRAS mutation, involved in a number of cancers, it has been announced.
Professor Caroline Springer and Professor Richard Marais from the Cancer Research UK Institute at the University of Manchester, UK, have created a new drug that blocks two parts of the KRAS signalling pathway. Changes to this pathway can lead to cells growing and dividing out of control to form tumours.
The drug, called CCT3833, is significantly better at treating pancreatic tumours with a KRAS mutation in mice, than standard KRAS inhibitors which only block one part of the pathway, the researchers report.
The researchers say that KRAS mutations are found in 25% of cancers including pancreatic, lung and colorectal tumours.
The new drug had already shown promise in one sarcoma patient. The team tested it on pancreatic, colorectal and lung cancer cells with KRAS mutations, and mice with pancreatic tumours. It restricted the growth of cancer cells more than previous KRAS inhibitors could.
A group of 31 patients with solid tumours were given the drug in an early test of safety, and this suggested it could reduce tumour size. The team are now planning to carry out further clinical trials on patients with a variety of cancers.
The results are published in Annals of Oncology today (30 December).
Professor Springer said: “Faulty KRAS signalling in cancer was identified over 35 years ago and yet, we still cannot block this pathway effectively. Our new drug stops the function of two critical growth pathways in KRAS-driven cells and has shown to be more effective than current drugs that only block one part of the pathway.
“We now need to run broader clinical trials to see how many cancer patients could benefit from this drug.”
Springer, C. et al. Annals of Oncology 30 December 2020.
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