Aurkine Against Cancer: Towards Clinical Evaluation in Humans

Jesús Bañales.

Asociación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria Biogipuzkoa, Spain.

Solid tumours account for a substantial share of cancer mortality. Traditional platinum-based chemotherapy, although effective, often leads to resistance and causes side effects that limit its long-term benefit. Aurkines are a new class of chemotherapeutic agents that target cancer cells in a fundamentally different way. This project aims to overcome the limitations of current therapies by advancing aurkines towards first-in-human clinical trials.

Aurkines work by engaging DNA at multiple sites and creating double-strand breaks. This mechanism is highly cytotoxic and selectively targets cancer cells, including those resistant to platinum-based treatment. Studies in animal models have shown that aurkines can reduce tumour growth without affecting healthy tissue. These results will be used to support further development and progression towards clinical evaluation.

The project aims to translate promising preclinical findings into a new treatment option for people with resistant solid tumours and few alternatives. The distinct mechanism of aurkines could provide a new therapeutic route to improve patients’ survival and quality of life.

• Fernando Cossío, Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU), Spain.

• Aitana Calvo, Fundación para la Investigación Biomédica del Hospital Gregorio Marañón, Spain.

• Angela Lamarca, Fundación Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria of the Fundación Jiménez Díaz, Spain.

STAGE 2