BioCentury
ARTICLE | Distillery Therapeutics

Therapeutics: Aurora kinase A (AURKA; Aurora-A)

December 10, 2015 8:00 AM UTC

Patient sample and mouse studies suggest that AURKA inhibitors could help treat GvHD following hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT). Levels of AURKA were higher in T cells from HCT patients who developed GvHD than in T cells from HCT patients who did not. In a mouse model of GvHD, the AURKA inhibitor alisertib increased survival compared with vehicle. Next steps include clinical testing of undisclosed AURKA inhibitors to treat GvHD.

Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has alisertib (MLN8237), a second-generation AURKA inhibitor, in Phase I to Phase II testing to treat a range of solid tumors and lymphomas. ...