Combination therapy shows potent tumor growth inhibition in preclinical studies

November 13, 2011 in Cancer

Combining the investigational agents REGN910 and aflibercept yielded statistically significant improvements in antitumor effects in animal models compared with either agent alone, according to results presented at the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, held Nov. 12-16, 2011.

"These preclinical findings suggest that combining REGN910 (SAR307746) and aflibercept in the clinic could be an attractive approach for future clinical research," said Alshad S. Lalani, Ph.D., director of strategic oncology development at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. in Tarrytown, N.Y. "The rationale is that inhibition of tumor angiogenesis by combining antiangiogenesis treatments could translate into more potent and durable antitumor responses than those observed with single-agent therapy."

In this preclinical mouse study, researchers from Regeneron and BC Cancer Agency in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, monitored how REGN910 and aflibercept blocked vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and angiopoietin-2 (Ang2), which are critical growth factors for tumor angiogenesis, or .

REGN910 is a fully discovered using Regeneron VelocImmune antibody technology that binds and inhibits Ang2. Aflibercept is a fully human fusion protein that binds all forms of VEGF-A, as well as VEGF-B and placental growth factor. REGN910 and aflibercept are being developed by Regeneron and Sanofi.

In addition, researchers performed tissue analyses to monitor the number of , tumor hypoxia (), tumor cell death and tumor perfusion.

"When used alone in animal studies, both REGN910 and aflibercept blocked and growth; however, the combination of the two led to increased tumor hypoxia and consequently to the death of a large percentage of the tumor cells," Lalani said. "Consistent with its ability to promote rapid and widespread tumor cell death in histology, the combination treatment inhibited tumor growth to a significantly greater extent than the single agents in multiple tumor models — colorectal, mammary and prostate. In particular, it caused dramatic tumor regression in the colorectal tumor models. Importantly, no visible evidence of toxicities or enhanced body weight loss was observed following the combination treatment."

In ongoing animal studies, Lalani and colleagues are studying the reasons behind the results with the combined therapy. They are also investigating biomarkers that will allow them to monitor the combination therapy treatment effect and/or to identify which tumors are most likely to respond to treatment.

Provided by American Association for Cancer Research search and more info website

not rated yet  

Rank not rated yet
Relevant PhysicsForums posts
  • Potential Breakthrough in Seizure Control
    created9 hours ago
  • Popping/Cracked sternum.
    created14 hours ago
  • Which Mental Illness Encompasses This Problem?
    created14 hours ago
  • A question about drug tolerance
    createdMay 23, 2012
  • Poor nutrition leading to overeating?
    createdMay 23, 2012
  • Math and dyslexia?
    createdMay 21, 2012
  • More from Physics Forums - Medical Sciences

More news stories

Skp2 activates cancer-promoting, glucose-processing Akt

HER2 and its epidermal growth factor receptor cousins mobilize a specialized protein to activate a major player in cancer development and sugar metabolism, scientists report in the May 25 issue of Cell.

Cancer created 22 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Pancreatectomy OK without downstaging from therapy

(HealthDay) -- Pancreatectomy improves median survival in pancreatic cancer patients even when presurgical neoadjuvant therapy does not lead to radiographic downstaging of tumors, according to a study published ...

Cancer created 23 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Common therapies for basal cell carcinoma offer similar survival

(HealthDay) -- For patients with superficial basal cell carcinoma (sBCC), treatment with imiquimod or photodynamic therapy (PDT) results in similar long-term tumor-free survival, according to a review published ...

Cancer created May 25, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Cancer may require simpler genetic mutations than previously thought

Chromosomal deletions in DNA often involve just one of two gene copies inherited from either parent. But scientists haven't known how a deletion in one gene from one parent, called a "hemizygous" deletion, can contribute ...

Cancer created May 25, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0 | with audio podcast

New prostate cancer screening guidelines face a tough sell, study suggests

(Medical Xpress) -- Recent recommendations from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) advising elimination of routine prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening for prostate cancer in healthy men are likely to encounter ...

Cancer created May 25, 2012 | popularity not rated yet | comments 1


Travel to high altitudes tied to Crohn's, colitis flare-ups

(HealthDay) -- People with inflammatory bowel disease, which includes Crohn's disease and colitis, may be at increased risk for flare-ups when they fly or travel to high altitudes for skiing or mountain climbing, ...

Family history of Alzheimer's affects functional connectivity

(HealthDay) -- Cognitively normal individuals with a family history of late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD) may display lower resting state functional connectivity in the default mode network (DMN) of the brain, ...

Transvaginal mesh op restores pelvic organ prolapse at price

(HealthDay) -- Transvaginal mesh (TVM) procedures are effective for anatomical restoration of pelvic organ prolapse (POP), but patients report a worsening of sexual function following surgery, according to ...

Tongue analysis software uses ancient Chinese medicine to warn of disease

For 5,000 years, the Chinese have used a system of medicine based on the flow and balance of positive and negative energies in the body. In this system, the appearance of the tongue is one of the measures used to classify ...

Early physical therapist treatment associated with reduced risk of healthcare utilization and reduced overall healthcare

A new study published in Spine shows that early treatment by a physical therapist for low back pain (LBP), as compared to delayed treatment, was associated with reduced risk of subsequent healthcare utilization and lower ...

Flesh-Eating bacteria no cause for panic, experts say

(HealthDay) -- Despite scary headlines by the score, most people don't have to fear that they'll be the next victim of the so-called flesh-eating bacteria disease, experts say.