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news.Researchers at the University of Minnesota have developed a novel class of anticancer compounds that are a refined form of anti-angiogenic drugs that effectively reduce blood flow to the tumor, thereby inhibiting tumor growth.
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A protein anti-angiogenic agent is already approved by the FDA for clinical use. However, the new compounds developed by the university researchers are small molecules rather than proteins, meaning that they could potentially be taken in pill form.
In animal studies with mice, the compounds inhibited tumor growth by up to 80%, and in combination with chemotherapy tumors essentially disappeared. Although the compounds proved effective against solid tumors, researchers believe they have potential to treat liquid tumors as well, such as the type found in leukemia and other blood cancers.
The results of the study appear in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
“This is a novel class of drugs that increases the potential for good, effective treatment for cancer patients with tumors,” said Dr Kevin Mayo, principle investigator and professor of biochemistry, molecular biology and biophysics at the University of Minnesota Medical School. “Our next step is to treat people with the drug in FDA-approved clinical trials.”