USA — In a monumental stride towards conquering cancer, a pioneering drug has emerged as a beacon of hope.
This remarkable breakthrough targets a protein pervasive in most cancers, halting their growth and multiplication while leaving healthy cells unscathed.
At the heart of this innovation is a molecule that zeroes in on the proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), a protein that had long been deemed ‘undruggable.’
This protein plays a pivotal role in fueling the growth and replication of tumors within the body. Previously thought impervious to intervention, PCNA’s susceptibility to this new drug has unveiled a novel pathway for cancer treatment.
The mechanism behind this breakthrough is remarkably selective. The new molecule, codenamed AOH1996, precipitates a cascade of events that prevent damaged DNA within cells from dividing and reproducing.
As a consequence, cancer cells are propelled into a self-destructive mode known as apoptosis, while the adjacent healthy stem cells remain unscathed.
Scientists from the City of Hope Hospital in Los Angeles, one of the largest cancer centers in America, stand at the helm of this revolutionary development.
The journey leading to this point spans two decades of rigorous research and development. It’s a journey steeped in a poignant story; the medicine’s codename, AOH1996, pays tribute to Anna Olivia Healy, a young soul who succumbed to a lethal childhood cancer in 2005.
Dr. Linda Malkas, the lead researcher, met Anna’s father shortly before her passing, sparking a determination to craft a cure in Anna’s memory.
This milestone aligns with a prevailing sense of optimism in the realm of cancer research. Some scientists, who were instrumental in developing the Pfizer Covid vaccine, have expressed confidence that cancer could be curable within the next decade.
Such aspirations are also reflected in President Joe Biden’s Cancer Moonshot initiative, relaunched in 2022, with the ambitious aim of halving the cancer death rate over the next quarter-century.
Nevertheless, these bright hopes are not without their controversies. President Biden himself faced criticism recently for claiming that his administration had “ended cancer as we know it,” despite emerging evidence indicating a slowing of death rates.
The latest study, detailed in the journal Cell Chemical Biology, unveils the results of tests conducted on over 70 cancer cell lines, alongside normal human cells that served as controls.
These experiments divulged the molecule’s remarkable capacity to selectively disrupt the reproductive cycle of cancer cells, quelling the division of damaged DNA and the replication of flawed genetic material.
The outcome is the demise of cancer cells, while neighboring healthy cells remain untouched.
This groundbreaking discovery has now embarked upon the critical next phase: human trials. A Phase 1 clinical trial is underway at the City of Hope, subjecting the drug to the rigors of real-world testing.
Dr. Linda Malkas, the pioneering force behind this advancement, elucidates the mechanism behind the breakthrough.
Drawing an analogy to a major airline hub, she likens PCNA to a bustling terminal containing multiple gates.
“PCNA is like a major airline terminal hub containing multiple plane gates. Data suggests PCNA is uniquely altered in cancer cells, and this fact allowed us to design a drug that targeted only the form of PCNA in cancer cells.”
“Our cancer-killing pill is like a snowstorm that closes a key airline hub, shutting down all flights in and out only in planes carrying cancer cells.”
She said: “Most targeted therapies focus on a single pathway, which enables wily cancer to mutate and eventually become resistant.
Dr. Malkas said results so far have been ‘promising’ as the molecule can suppress tumor growth on its own or in combination with other cancer treatments ‘without resulting in toxicity.’
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