Research: Drug/Radiation combination works in mice
A combination of an oral cancer
drug that inhibits the VGEF pathway that stimulates blood vessel growth in tumors and targeted internal radiotherapy reduced tumor volume by 97 percent in transgenic mice with pancreatic NETs, according to an article in EJNMMI Research.
The group combined an oral dose of vatalanib with the radio-peptide [lys 40(Ahx-DTPA-111ln)NH2]-exendin-4, that binds with the GLP-1R receptor on insulinomas and other NETs. The combination worked better than either treatment alone.
Drug reduces radiation dose
The valatanib, however, allowed for a much smaller dose of radiation, resulting in no damage to the pancreas. The valatinib had to be given at about the same time as the radiation because giving it earlier decreased the amount of radiation the tumor absorbed.
Use in humans is a long way off, of course. The technique will face the lengthy drug trial process before becoming broadly available. Many treatments that work in animal studies prove not to work at all in people.
Diagnostic technique wins orphan status in Europe
announced its OPS202–a gallium-68 driven PET scan–has received an orphan drug designation from the European Medicines Agency.
According to the preliminary research results released at the ASCO conference in San Francisco, the gallium-68 scan has “shown superior results compared to other modalities.” While the scan is diagnostic, it has therapeutic possibilities as well, using Yttrium-90 (90Y)–which is also under study.
Research into method taking place in US, Europe
The diagnostic procedure, which will go by the trade name SOMscan, takes about an hour to do. The gallium-68 binds to the somatostatin receptor subtype 2 on the surface of the carcinoid/NETs tumor.
Phase I trials will start in Europe later this year. A Phase II trial will start in the US at Vanderbilt this year, as well.
Tumor profiling aids treatment
Caris Life Sciences presented on its comprehensive tumor profiling service at the San Francisco ASCO meeting. They said their profiling program found drug targets in 90 percent of the carcinoid/NETs patients they looked at.
The company said their system goes beyond what can be found by DNA sequencing alone and can help
doctors tailor their approaches to specific patients with specific tumor profiles.
Research cites two NETs patients
They cited two specific carcinoid/NETs patients. In one, they found alterations in the expressions of three proteins and one somatic mutation. Identifying these variations, they said, identified an effective treatment for that patient.
In the second they found an alteration in a protein not generally measured in carcinoid/NETs patients that proved relevant to treatment.
CAPTAM study still the research headliner
The other major event of the last few months, was Dr. Robert Fine’s work with the CAPTAM drug combination we reported on last month. While his results were only an interim report, the fact the pairing is moving into a small Phase III trial is important.
I have read some patient accounts from England in recent days about their use of CAPTAM. Those stories make it appear that CAPTAM may be getting regular use in Europe, though I have only seen anecdotal evidence of that to this point. I’ll keep digging in the hope of finding out more.
