New molecules to combat aggressive cancers

Marcos Malumbres.

Fundació privada Institut Investigació Oncològica Vall Hebron (VHIO), Spain.

Aggressive cancers such as liver cancer, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma, often respond poorly to treatment and quickly develop resistance, leading to high mortality. This project targets a little-explored group of cyclin-dependent kinases on which cancer cells depend for survival, especially in tumours driven by specific genetic pathways. The team aims to develop the first selective inhibitors for these proteins as a new precision-treatment option.

The neoCDK project builds on previous cell studies that identified a lead compound with strong anti-cancer activity at very low concentrations and reduces cancer cell growth by causing DNA damage. The next stages will involve optimising the compound, testing it in animal models and preparing the programme for regulatory development.

This strategy could be a game-changer for patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and limited treatment options. The inhibitors could improve survival and quality of life, reduce the impact of treatment resistance and substantially lower cancer care costs. The same strategy may also prove relevant to other aggressive tumours, including small-cell lung cancer, colorectal cancer and glioblastoma.

STAGE 3