US scientists have developed a new type of platinum-based anti-tumour drug which could represent a major advance in combating lung cancer, it was revealed yesterday (11th February).

Researchers at Wake Forest University collaborated with the institution's Health Sciences Comprehensive Cancer Centre for animal tests which showed that the new drug could be ten times more effective than current treatments.

The results of the study, which are published in the 11th December issue of the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, highlight a novel way of tackling non-small cell lung cancer, which accounts for over three-quarters of cases of the disease.

Principal investigator Ulrich Bierbach, Z Smith Reynolds Foundation Fellow and Associate Professor of Chemistry at the university, said: "We are able to slow the growth of this cancer substantially in mice.

"That is very good news, since this is such a rapidly growing, intractable type of cancer. If this ends up in clinical trials in the next few years, that will fulfil a dream of mine."

The new drug is different to more conventional platinum-based compounds as it can quickly bind with and destroy the DNA of a tumour cell.

This prevents it from activating its natural repair mechanisms, which creates resistance to drugs and has been a historical problem which Mr Bierbach has been attempting to overcome since 1992.

At present, less than a third of people diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer respond to platinum treatments, with those who do only afforded a median survival of under a year.

Source:

WFU researchers develop new platinum-based anti-tumor compound (11/02/09)
http://www.wfu.edu/news/release/2009.02.11.c.php