BioCentury
ARTICLE | Distillery Therapeutics

Pulmonary

May 31, 2017 1:23 PM UTC

Patient sample and mouse studies suggest inhibiting KRAS or MCP-1 could help treat malignant pleural effusions in KRAS-mutant cancers. In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, KRAS mutations in metastatic tumors were associated with pleural metastasis. In mouse models of multiple cancers, KRAS mutations in tumor cells were associated with pleural effusions and high serum levels of MCP-1. In mouse models of malignant pleural effusions induced by KRAS-mutant colon cancer, pancreatic cancer or KRAS-mutant NSCLC, a KRAS inhibitor tool compound decreased the volume and incidence of pleural effusions compared with vehicle. In the colon cancer model, intrapleural injection of liposomes loaded with the KRAS inhibitor decreased the volume and incidence of pleural effusion compared with empty liposomes. In the pancreatic cancer model, an anti-MCP-1 antibody decreased the volume and incidence of pleural effusions compared with a control antibody. Next steps could include testing additional KRAS or MCP-1 inhibitors in the models.

Noxxon Pharma N.V. has Emapticap pegol (NOX-E36), an L-aptamer MCP-1 inhibitor developed using Spiegelmer technology, in Phase I testing to treat solid tumors. ...