New Cancer Drug Development
Lead Researcher:
Dr Paul de Souza
We are interested in the mechanism of novel drugs used to treat a variety of cancer cells. By combining these drugs in a rational way, we hope to target cancer cell weaknesses in the way they communicate with one another and interrupt their signals to grow and spread. This has led to us carrying out a number of early clinical trials (Phase I trials), which have tested these combinations in patients with incurable cancer. The most effective combinations in the laboratory are taken into the clinic, and this serves as a practical focus for our work.
Current and future projects
Evaluation of minimally toxic treatment combinations. We have discovered that commonly used cholesterol lowering drugs have activity against cancer cells. This has not only shed more light on the way cancer cells control their own signalling, but provides us a lead as to the best way to use these drugs in combination with other anti-cancer drugs. As a result, we are about to embark on a Phase I trial of a combination of drugs that includes a cholesterol-lowering drug, for the treatment of advanced cancer.
Recent publications
Gan H. K., Mitchell P.L., Galettis P., Davis I.D., Cebon J., de Souza P., and Links M. A Phase 1 and Pharmacokinetic Study of A Minimally Neurotoxic Schedule of Gemcitabine and Oxaliplatin in Patients with Solid Tumors. (2006) Cancer Chemotherapy & Pharmacology 58: 157-164.
de Souza P, Liauw W, Links M, Pirabhahar S, Kelly G, and Howes LG. Phase I and pharmacokinetic study of weekly NV06 (Phenoxodiolä), a novel isoflav-3-ene, in patients with advanced cancer. Cancer Chemotherapy & Pharmacoogyl. 2006 58(4):427-433.
