BioCentury
ARTICLE | Distillery Therapeutics

Cancer

June 13, 2018 6:21 PM UTC

Cell culture studies suggest inhibiting IFT88 or SCLT1 could help treat kinase inhibitor-resistant lung cancer and rhabdomyosarcoma. In a human EGFR inhibitor-resistant non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell line, the EGFR inhibitor Tarceva erlotinib plus siRNAs targeting IFT88 or SCLT1 decreased viability compared with Tarceva plus a non-specific siRNA. In human ALK inhibitor-resistant and MEK inhibitor-resistant lung cancer cell lines, the siRNA targeting SCLT1 plus a tool compound ALK inhibitor or Mekinist trametinib decreased viability compared with a non-specific siRNA plus the ALK inhibitor or Mekinist, respectively. In a human rhabdomyosarcoma cell line resistant to BCR-ABL and Src inhibitors, the siRNA targeting IFT88 plus the dual BCR-ABL/Src inhibitor Sprycel dasatinib decreased viability compared with a non-specific siRNA plus Sprycel. Next steps could include identifying and testing IFT88 or SCLT1 inhibitors in animal models of lung cancer and sarcoma.

Astellas Pharma Inc., Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. and the Genentech Inc. unit of Roche market Tarceva for brain cancer, NSCLC and pancreatic cancer, and have the compound in Phase III testing for liver cancer...