Researchers See Reduction of Pancreatic Cancer Cells
in Early Antibody Testing
Nothing now available to stop the rapid advance of
this deadly cancer
April 14, 2009 Researchers report testing that
appears to reduce pancreatic cancer cells. There is no life-saving
treatment for this cancer that is one of the deadliest and most rapidly
advancing. The scientists caution these are preliminary results in early
testing.
The researchers at Amgen are testing a fully human
monoclonal antibody that inhibits the activity of insulin-like growth
factors (IGF-1 and IGF-2) and appears to reduce pancreatic cancer cells
in early testing, according to a report in Molecular Cancer
Therapeutics, a journal of the American Association for Cancer
Research.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers,
and less than 4 percent of the 200,000 patients diagnosed annually live
more than five years. The only available clinical treatment is
gemcitabine, but this has yet to show a survival benefit (see sidebar).
Scientists are testing a variety of experimental
therapies to bring pancreatic cancer under control. At Amgen, Pedro J.
Beltran, Ph.D., a principal scientist in oncology research, is
experimenting with AMG 479, a fully human anti-IGF-1 monoclonal
antibody.
"We know that insulin-like growth factors play a
role in cancer development, particularly in mediating cell survival.
This is the first drug that specifically targets the receptor for these
growth factors without cross-reacting with the closely related insulin
receptor," said Beltran.
In the in vitro study, AMG 479 bound to IGF-1R and
blocked both IGF-1 and IGF-2 binding factors 1 and 2. It also completely
inhibited ligand-induced activation in some growth factors, which led to
a decreased cellular viability. When Beltram and colleagues measured the
effect of AMG 479 on pancreatic cancer cells in active testing, the
inhibition rate was approximately 80 percent inhibition of tumor growth
and receptor expression was observed.
"These data clearly show that AMG 479 is a clinical
candidate for pancreatic cancer therapy, either alone or in combination
with gemcitabine," he said.
Beltran said researchers are currently testing AMG
479 in nine separate phase II studies of various cancer types; he
expects the effect will be seen beyond pancreatic cancer.
About Gemcitabine (Gemzar)
Gemcitabine is used as chemotherapy. It is marketed
as Gemzar by Eli Lilly and Company.
Gemcitabine is used in various carcinomas:
non-small cell lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, bladder cancer and breast
cancer. It is being investigated for use in oesophageal cancer, and is
used experimentally in lymphomas and various other tumor types.
Gemcitabine represents an advance in pancreatic cancer care. It is also
not as debilitating as other forms of chemotherapy.
A study reported in the Journal of the American
Medical Association (JAMA) in January 2007 suggested that
gemcitabine shows benefit in patients with pancreatic cancer who were
felt to have successful surgical removal of at least part of the tumor.
Postoperative gemcitabine significantly delayed the
development of recurrent disease after complete surgical removal of
pancreatic cancer compared with observation alone. These results support
the use of gemcitabine as adjuvant chemotherapy in surgically removable
carcinoma of the pancreas.
About American Association for Cancer Research
(provided by AACR)
The mission of the American Association for Cancer
Research is to prevent and cure cancer. Founded in 1907, AACR is the
world's oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to
advancing cancer research.
The membership includes more than 28,000
basic, translational and clinical researchers; health care
professionals; and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States
and 80 other countries. The AACR marshals the full spectrum of expertise
from the cancer community to accelerate progress in the prevention,
diagnosis and treatment of cancer through high-quality scientific and
educational programs.
The AACR publishes six major peer-reviewed
journals: Cancer Research; Clinical Cancer Research; Molecular Cancer
Therapeutics; Molecular Cancer Research; Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers
& Prevention; and Cancer Prevention Research. The AACR also publishes
CR, a magazine for cancer survivors and their families, patient
advocates, physicians and scientists. CR provides a forum for sharing
essential, evidence-based information and perspectives on progress in
cancer research, survivorship and advocacy.
Amgen is a leading human therapeutics company in
the biotechnology industry with headquarters in Thousand Oaks,
California. For more than 25 years, the company has tapped the power of
scientific discovery and innovation to advance the practice of medicine.
Amgen pioneered the development of novel products
based on advances in recombinant DNA and molecular biology and launched
the biotechnology industrys first blockbuster medicines. Today, as a
Fortune 500 company serving millions of patients, Amgen continues to be
an entrepreneurial, science-driven enterprise dedicated to helping
people fight serious illness.
April 14, 2009 Researchers report testing that
appears to reduce pancreatic cancer cells. There is no life-saving
treatment for this cancer that is one of the deadliest and most rapidly
advancing. The scientists caution these are preliminary results in early
testing.