Updates from the 2007 Meeting from the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR)
May 11, 2007

New Medicine is in the process of adding/updating numerous records involving novel agents in preclinical or clinical development, presented at AACR07. Selected updates/additions to date include:

• Plans to initiate phase I clinical trials in renal cell cancer (RCC) and melanoma with huBC1-huIL12 (AS1409), a fusion protein
  (to see the current development status of other fusion proteins, enter fusion in the Drug Profile field and >2006 in the Current as of field in the New Drugs module).
• Novel approaches targeting the Notch/Delta-like ligand 4 (DLL4) pathway
  (to see drug development involving this pathway, enter notch*/DLL4 in the Target field of the New Drugs module, and in the Target Designation field in the Targets in Oncology module).
• Novel spindle poisons, including NPI-2358 and ARRY-520
  (to see 69 spindle poisons in current development, enter spindle in the Drug Profile field and >2006 in the Current as of field in the New Drugs module).
• Topisomerase I inhibitors, including TP300 and EZN-2208
  (to see topoisomerase I inhibitors in current development, enter topoisomerase I in the Target field and >2006 in the Current as of field in the New Drugs module).
• Multitargeted receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitor BMS-690514
  (to see receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitors in current development, enter RTK in the Drug Profile field and >2006 in the Current as of field in the New Drugs module).

More AACR highlights to come later this month on nm|OK.

Oncogenes and Tumor Suppressors as Cellular Metabolism Regulators-Therapeutic Implications
by Timothy Tankosic, MD
April 20, 2007

In the opening plenary session of the 2007 meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research (AACR07), Craig B. Thompson, of the University of Pennsylvania, presented the provocative proposal that most oncogenes and tumor suppressors evolved to regulate cellular metabolism. In particular, oncogenes and tumor suppressors modulate the cellular response to growth factor-derived signals that direct nutrient uptake; and they enable cells to adapt intermediate metabolism to fuel cellular responses to stress in bioenergetic or biosynthetic pathways.
Predictions, Therapeutic Implications, and More . . .

Search Suggestions for Subscribers:
Numerous agents are currently in development, both preclinically and clinically, targeting several of the molecular markers mentioned in this article.

• For detailed reports on these agents: In the query screen for the New Drugs module, select the Targets report format then enter the marker name in the Target query box.
• To find more about the molecular markers themselves: In the Targets in Oncology module, enter the name of the marker in the Marker Designation query box.

EGFr-Targeted Drugs: Vectibix Setback, EGFr Testing
by Timothy Tankosic, MD
April 3, 2007

Amgen's recent discontinuation of treatment with Vectibix (panitumumab), the first fully human IgG2 monoclonal antibody (MAb) targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFr), in the phase IIIb Panitumumab Advanced Colorectal Cancer Evaluation (PACCE) trial is a disappointing setback. PACCE was evaluating the addition of Vectibix... Details

Search Suggestions for Subscribers:
Details on the status of EGFr-targeted drug development are available in the Oncology KnowledgeBASE:

• For a list of approved EGFr-targeted drugs: In the query screen for the Marketed Drugs module, enter EGFr/HEr2 in the Target query box.
• For summaries of clinical trials with VectibixIn: In the Marketed Drugs module select the Clinical Trials Report option and enter Vectibix in the Therapeutic Names query box.
• For summaries of clinical trials with AMG-706: In the New Drugs module, select the Clinical Trials Report option and enter AMG 706 in the Therapeutic Names query box.
• For records related to EGFr family ligands, receptors, and intracellular pathway targets (in addition to other targets with EGF-like domains): In the Targets in Oncology module, enter EGF* in the Marker Designation query box.