The chemotherapy therapy that appears to wipe out all solid tumors has reached its first human trials at the center. The infectious disease specialist, Matteo Bassetti, comments on the development, stating that it offers new hope for the development of personalized and targeted therapies.
Researchers have published a study in ‘Cell Chemical Biology’ explaining how they have developed a targeted chemotherapy therapy that appears to wipe out all solid tumors in preclinical research. This “universal chemo” in pill form has reached its first human trials at the City of Hope clinical research center in Los Angeles, USA. Matteo Bassetti describes this milestone in cancer research as an important step in the fight against cancer, offering hope for patients with different forms of the disease.
The therapy, known as AOH1996, selectively interrupts DNA replication and repair in cancer cells, while leaving healthy cells unaffected. This therapy targets Pcna, a protein previously considered difficult to treat but crucial in DNA replication and repair in expanding tumors. The drug is currently undergoing phase 1 clinical trials on humans at the City of Hope, following promising preclinical data.
Bassetti highlights that AOH1996 acts by interrupting the reproductive cycle of cancer cells without affecting healthy stem cells. It has been successfully tested on tumor cells derived from various types of cancer, including breast, prostate, brain, ovary, melanoma, and lung. Its selective inhibitory action on Pcna has been shown to kill cancer cells without affecting the reproductive cycle of healthy stem cells.
These developments bring new hope to the field of cancer research and pave the way for personalized and targeted therapies for cancer patients. Further research and clinical trials will determine the effectiveness and potential impact of this chemotherapy therapy.