America of a famous hospital Scientists by Cancer A cell-killing drug has been developed that destroys solid tumors through ‘targeted chemotherapy’.
The pill contains a protein, for example, that acts like a ‘blizzard that can shut down an airline’s main hub and thus stop the flow of only planes carrying cancer cells.’
The protein was developed by a research team at City of Hope Hospital, one of the largest cancer research and treatment organizations in the United States.
A molecule called AOH1996 works by targeting the cancer variant of PCNA, a protein important for DNA replication and tumor growth.
Developed over the past two decades, this drug has proven effective in clinical research to treat breast, prostate, brain, ovarian, cervical, skin and lung cancers.
In this study, published in the medical journal ‘Cell Chemical Biology’, this protein was tested on more than 70 cancer cell lines.
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The results showed that the AOH1996 molecule selectively killed cancer cells by disrupting the normal reproductive cycle of the cell. The next step is to advance these findings through clinical trials in humans.
Dr Linda Malkas, PhD, Professor of Molecular Diagnostics and Experimental Therapeutics at City of Hope and MT&BA Professor of Molecular Oncology, Ahmadineja said: ‘PCNA is like a large airline terminal hub with a More air gates are included. The data showed that PCNA is uniquely mutated in cancer cells and this fact helped us develop a drug that would target only the mutated form of PCNA in cancer cells. is.’
He added: ‘Our cancer-killing drug is like a blizzard that shuts down a major airline hub only to stop all flights carrying cancer cells.’
According to him: ‘The results have been promising. AOH1996 can inhibit tumor growth as a monotherapy without inducing toxicity in cell and animal models. The investigational chemotherapy is currently in a phase one human clinical trial at City of Hope.’
The study’s lead author, Long Guo, associate research professor in the Department of Molecular Diagnostics at Beckman Research Institute in the City of Hope, added: ‘No drug has ever targeted PCNA therapeutically. was made because it was considered ‘untreatable’ but clearly City of Hope was able to develop an investigational drug to target a challenging protein.’
According to him: ‘We discovered that PCNA is one of the possible causes of increased nucleic acid replication errors in cancer cells. Now that we know the specific part of the problem and can prevent it, we will go deeper to understand the process to develop more personalized and targeted cancer drugs.’
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What specific challenges did Dr. Malkas and her team face in the development of AOH1996 for cancer treatment?
**Interview with Dr. Linda Malkas, City of Hope Hospital**
**Host:** Welcome, Dr. Malkas. It’s great to have you here today to discuss the exciting developments in cancer treatment coming from City of Hope. Could you start by explaining what AOH1996 is and how it works?
**Dr. Malkas:** Thank you for having me. AOH1996 is an innovative drug we’ve developed that targets a specific protein variant known as PCNA, which plays a crucial role in DNA replication and tumor growth. Think of PCNA as a major hub in an airport, with numerous gates representing various pathways cancer cells use to thrive. AOH1996 acts like a blizzard, effectively shutting down this hub and disrupting the cancer cells’ ability to replicate.
**Host:** That sounds revolutionary! Could you share some insights from the clinical research you’ve conducted on AOH1996?
**Dr. Malkas:** Certainly! Over years of research, we’ve tested AOH1996 on more than 70 different cancer cell lines, including those from breast, prostate, brain, ovarian, cervical, skin, and lung cancers. Our results showed that the drug selectively kills cancer cells by disrupting their reproductive cycles while sparing normal cells. This selectivity is critical for minimizing side effects during treatment.
**Host:** And what are the next steps in bringing this treatment to patients?
**Dr. Malkas:** The next crucial phase is advancing AOH1996 through clinical trials involving human participants. We’re currently preparing for this stage, which will help us gather further data on the drug’s effectiveness and safety in a clinical setting.
**Host:** This must be incredibly exciting for your team and the patients who could benefit from this treatment. How has the development of AOH1996 progressed over the past two decades?
**Dr. Malkas:** It’s been a long and rewarding journey. The foundation of this drug traces back to understanding the unique mutations of PCNA in cancer cells. Over these years, we have optimized the formulation based on lab results to create a targeted therapy that truly meets the needs of patients battling solid tumors.
**Host:** Thank you for sharing your insights, Dr. Malkas. It’s inspiring to see the dedication of researchers like you at City of Hope. We look forward to seeing how AOH1996 progresses and hope it becomes a valuable tool in the fight against cancer.
**Dr. Malkas:** Thank you! We are committed to making a difference in cancer treatment and appreciate the opportunity to share our work.
This conversation highlights the promising advancements in cancer research, particularly with targeted therapies like AOH1996, which could transform treatment approaches for various solid tumors[[1](https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/drugs/cancer-type)].
