Battling cancer. Credit: Thirdman, Pexels.
A major breakthrough from the Francis Crick Institute and Vividion Therapeutics could change the future of cancer treatment.
Researchers have identified a compound that stops tumour growth by inhibiting the signals that cause cancer cells to divide – and the best thing is that the treatment does not harm good tissue, as regular chemotherapy does.
Published in Science this month, the study shows that the new compound prevents the RAS gene – mutated in around one in five cancers – from connecting with a key enzyme called PI3K, which helps control how cells grow. When RAS mutates, it becomes permanently active, triggering uncontrolled cell division and tumour formation.
Targeting cancer’s “on switch” safely
Previous drugs have struggled to target RAS because shutting it off entirely disrupts normal cell functions, leading to severe side effects such as hyperglycaemia. The Crick team, however, found a way to selectively block the connection between RAS and PI3K while leaving PI3K’s other essential functions — like insulin regulation — untouched.
Tests in mice with RAS-mutated lung tumours showed that the treatment stopped tumour growth without causing elevated blood sugar levels. When combined with other targeted cancer drugs, the therapy achieved even stronger and longer-lasting results.
According to Julian Downward, Principal Group Leader of the Oncogene Biology Laboratory at the Crick, “Our collaborative effort has overcome this challenge by targeting the PI3K and RAS interaction specifically, leaving PI3K free to bind with its other targets. It’s exciting to see these clinical trials starting, highlighting the power of understanding chemistry and fundamental biology to get to something with potential to help people with cancer.”
The treatment also proved effective against HER2-mutated breast tumours, suggesting it could treat a broader range of cancers beyond RAS-driven ones.
Human trials now underway
The new compound has now entered phase one clinical trials, testing for safety and side effects in people with RAS and HER2 mutations. The trials will also explore how the compound performs when combined with other RAS-targeting therapies.
Matt Patricelli, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Vividion, said, “By designing molecules that stop RAS and PI3K from connecting, while still allowing healthy cell processes to continue, we’ve found a way to selectively block a key cancer growth signal. It’s incredibly rewarding to see this science now progressing in the clinic, where it has the potential to make a real difference for patients.”
Breast Cancer Awareness Month
This discovery arrives during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a crucial time for research and hope in the fight against the disease. Sadly, the number of breast cancer cases continues to rise, but breakthroughs like this offer renewed optimism for patients and their families.
As global collaborations like this move from lab to clinic, they represent a shared step forward in making safer, more targeted cancer treatments a reality for everyone.
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