A new drug has been developed that prevents the formation of cancer metastases
Last reviewed: 23.04.2024
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The American company has developed a new cure for cancer that inhibits tumor growth, as well as the formation of metastases, New Scientis reports. The effectiveness of the drug kabozatinib, released by Exelixis, was evaluated by a team of specialists led by Donald McDonald from the University of California at San Francisco.
McDonald and his colleagues conducted a series of experiments on laboratory mice that had malignant tumors. At the age of 14 weeks, half of the rodents began to receive cabosatinib, and the other part - a placebo. As a result, up to the 20-week-old age only the animals from the first group survived.
After that, clinical trials of a new drug with the participation of 108 men suffering from prostate cancer with metastases in bone tissue were carried out . At the end of the trial, in 82 patients secondary tumors in the bones decreased in size or completely disappeared. The increase in the size of the tumor was recorded only in one patient. In addition, two-thirds of patients reported a reduction in pain caused by the disease.
The antitumor effect of cabosatinib is due to two mechanisms of action of the drug. It blocks the receptors of the endothelial growth factor of the vessels, preventing the growth of the primary tumor. Suppression of metastases, in turn, is associated with blockade of receptors of another protein - the growth factor of hepatocytes.
Currently, Exelixis is preparing to conduct further clinical trials of the new drug. The analgesic effect of the drug will be evaluated in a group of 246 patients. The effect of cabosatinib on life expectancy will be studied with the participation of 960 patients with malignant neoplasms.
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