Battle to Control Lung Cancer Finds Hope in New Drug
and Spotting Brain Metastasis Risk
World conference on lung cancer hears of clinical
trial success for TH-302 from Dr. Glen Weiss
Aug. 7, 2009 Two significant advances in treating
lung cancer were made this week at a conference in San Francisco. One is
progress in early detection of those patients at risk for developing
brain metastasis and the other is a new drug - TH-302 - that is
achieving success in stabilizing small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
Both presentations were by Dr. Glen Weiss of the
Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) and Scottsdale
Healthcare at the 13th World Conference on Lung Cancer in San Francisco.
Dr. Weiss, M.D.,is an Associate Investigator in TGens Cancer and Cell
Biology Division and Director of Thoracic Oncology at TGen Clinical
Research Services at Scottsdale Healthcare.
In one presentation, Dr. Weiss described research
that eventually could help prevent lung cancer from spreading to the
brain. In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), brain metastasis is a
devastating complication that occurs in as many as 1 in 4 patients. The
ability to identify those at risk for developing brain metastasis may
guide new therapies.
A team led by Dr. Weiss found several microRNAs,
which are single-stranded RNA molecules that regulate how genes control
cellular development as well as several high-tech imaging
characteristics all associated with the spread of lung cancer to the
brain.
The biological significance of these microRNAs are
being explored, and more studies are warranted, according to the team,
which was funded by the Ibis Foundation of Arizona, the TGen Foundation
and the Scottsdale Healthcare Foundation.
"With additional validation, this work can lead to
better techniques to predict, treat and ultimately prevent brain
metastasis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer," Dr. Weiss said.
Identifying the highest-risk population for brain metastasis, so that
informed therapeutic trials can be undertaken, could enable a
paradigmatic shift in treating these patients."
The study team included researchers from: TGen; the
Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcares Scottsdale
Clinical Research Institute; Scottsdale Medical Imaging LTD; and the
School of Computing, Informatics and Decision Systems Engineering at
Arizona State Universitys Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering.
Good Results from Clinical Trials for TH-302
In another presentation, Dr. Weiss discussed the
release this week by Threshold Pharmaceuticals Inc. and the Virginia G.
Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare of results from two Phase I
clinical trials for a drug called TH-302.
The two clinical trials are both evaluating the
safety and effectiveness of TH-302, a drug activated in the absence of
oxygen.
"TH-302 is a new, novel, small molecule that is
activated when cells are under conditions that lack oxygen, which is a
metabolic condition characteristic of cancer cells, said Weiss.
Both clinical trials involve patients with advanced
solid tumors. In one, they are treated with TH-302 in combination with
other chemotherapy agents. In the other, they are treated only with
TH-302, which is produced by Threshold Pharmaceuticals of Redwood City,
Calif.
In the study of those treated only with TH-302, six
of eight, or 75 percent, of patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC)
achieved stable disease or better. In the study of those treated with
TH-302 in combination with other chemotherapy agents, eight of 12, or 67
percent, of patients with NSCLC achieved stable disease or better,
according to a release by Threshold and Scottsdale Healthcare.
"TH-302 is a new, novel, small molecule that is
activated when cells are under conditions that lack oxygen, which is a
metabolic condition characteristic of cancer cells," Dr. Weiss said. "We
are excited to continue investigations with TH-302 and about the
potential benefit that it might confer to people living with lung
cancer."
For information about the Virginia G. Piper Cancer
Center at Scottsdale Healthcare, visit
www.shc.org.
Aug. 7, 2009 Two significant advances in treating
lung cancer were made this week at a conference in San Francisco. One is
progress in early detection of those patients at risk for developing
brain metastasis and the other is a new drug - TH-302 - that is
achieving success in stabilizing small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
Good Results from Clinical Trials for TH-302