Wonder drug can target mutant gene common in multiple cancers
SCIENTISTS have hailed a “new era” in medicine after discovering a therapy which targets a genetic mutation found in multiple cancers.
Experts say thousands could benefit from the potentially “gamechanging” treatment undergoing global trials, including at London’s University College Hospital and Guys and St Thomas.
The drug therapy targets an abnormality in a gene known as RET that is linked to cancer growth.
This leads to over-activity of RET signalling which drives cancer by encouraging tumour cells to divide and survive.
The new therapy – known as EP0031 – closely binds to the RET protein “like keys in a lock” turning off this activation process and forcing cells to die.
The RET gene mutation is found in up to three per cent of all types of cancerous tumours with varying frequency including in the lung, gut, breast, ovarian, bowel, pancreas and thyroid.
Preliminary studies have shown the treatment, which can be given as a once-a-day pill, has far fewer side effects than traditional chemotherapy.
Last week, EP0031 was approved for fasttrack development by US regulator the Food and Drug Administration and the drug is on track for European and UK approval.
The therapy is being trialled in the US and UK, Spain and other parts of Europe and initially used to target lung and thyroid cancers. Unusually, it has been shown to be so effective it is being trialled in some patients as a first-line therapy – before standard treatments are used.
Tobias Arkenau, an honorary professor of cancer medicine at University College Hospital and chief medical officer at Ellipses Pharma, which developed the new therapy, said: “This next-generation cancer drug binds deep in the pockets of the RET protein like keys in a lock. This stops the protein driving the cancer cells by getting out of control.”
He added: “The results so far are very promising and if this treatment is effective it could be an ultimate game changer which could be used in patients whose treatments have already failed.” He called for patients to be genetically screened so those with genetic abnormalities could be identified and treated.
“We now realise cancers are made up of many different subtypes,” Prof Arkenau added.
“Genetic tests for all cancer patients should be mandatory so we can have the opportunity to use personalised treatments like EP0031 in eligible patients.”
Dr Martin Forster, who is heading the trial at London’s University College Hospital said: “This is very exciting and shows that with better understanding of the biology of cancer we can now personalise drug treatments to individual tumours with more effective and less toxic treatments.
“If this treatment proves helpful in trials it could be used in all cancers and therefore help thousands of patients a year.”