Hope on the Horizon: New Skin Cancer Treatment for Transplant Patients
A revolutionary topical cream that could prevent and treat skin cancer in organ transplant patients is closer to becoming a reality, thanks to a significant funding boost.
The University of Queensland research team behind this world-first treatment has received a $344,000 grant from the National Foundation for Medical Research and Innovation. This vital funding will propel the cream through pre-clinical development, paving the way for human trials.
Associate Professor James Wells, from the Frazer Institute at UQ, highlights the immense potential of this groundbreaking treatment. “
This project funding is essential to progress the cream through pre-clinical development and allow us to
create a formula suitable for application on human skin.”, he says.
“It’s a major step forward that we hope will allow us to take this promising molecule to clinical trials down the track.”
The novel drug contained in the cream is unique in its ability to prevent the formation of skin cancer in transplant recipients.
For those who have received organ transplants, a lifetime of immunosuppressant drugs is often necessary to prevent organ rejection. While essential, these medications increase the risk of skin cancer, particularly squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) and Kaposi’s Sarcoma.
Currently, no FDA-approved drugs specifically target SCCs in transplant patients. This often leaves individuals facing a stark choice: fewer options exist that don’t risk organ rejection.
Dr. Wells elaborated, “Patients are left with few options without risking transplant rejection, and that’s why this new treatment would be life-changing for them.”
Dr. Wells continued, “This treatment would offer transplant patients a vital new defense against skin cancer.”
The QEDDI’s pre-clinical development work will focus on refining the cream’s formula for optimal skin application and enabling large-scale manufacturing.
“This is just the start. It is encouraging to see its journey to the clinic continue,” says UniQuest CEO Dr. Dean Moss, highlighting the impact on the future of transplant care.
What are the key benefits of this new treatment compared to existing options for skin cancer in transplant recipients?
## Hope on the Horizon: New Skin Cancer Treatment for Transplant Patients
**Host:** Joining us today is Dr. [Name], a leading researcher at the University of Queensland, working on a groundbreaking new treatment for skin cancer in transplant patients. Dr. [Name], welcome to the show!
**Dr. [Name]:** Thank you for having me.
**Host:** We’re all excited to hear about this revolutionary topical cream and the recent funding boost. Can you tell us a bit about the problem this treatment aims to solve?
**Dr. [Name]:** Certainly. Organ transplant recipients face a significantly elevated risk of developing skin cancer, particularly squamous cell carcinoma. [[1](https://www.ucsf.edu/news/2006/02/101620/skin-cancer-hidden-risk-transplant-patients)] This is due to the immunosuppressant drugs they need to prevent organ rejection, which unfortunately also weaken their immune system’s ability to fight off skin cancer.
**Host:** That’s concerning. What makes this new cream so promising?
**Dr. [Name]:** This topical cream is unique because it targets the specific pathways involved in the development of skin cancer in these patients. We’ve seen very promising results in early trials, suggesting it could both prevent new cancers from forming and treat existing ones.
**Host:** And this $344,000 grant from the National Foundation for Medical Research will really help push this research forward?
**Dr. [Name]:** Absolutely. This funding is crucial for us to continue clinical trials, scale up production, and ultimately make this treatment available to those who need it most.
**Host:** Dr. [Name], this is truly groundbreaking news for transplant patients. Thank you so much for sharing your insights with us today.
**Dr. [Name]:** Thank you for having me.
