New therapy hope for prostate cancer patients

CR-discovered NXP800 shows promise in clinical trials

Prostate cancer resistant to hormone therapy could soon have a new treatment option.

The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), London, found that the drug NXP800, currently in trials for ovarian and bile duct cancer, can slow prostate tumour growth and overcome hormone therapy resistance.

Dr Adam Sharp, Leader of the Translational Therapeutics Group at ICR, said: “We need to tackle the problem from a new angle. Excitingly, we’ve shown that targeting [the heat shock response pathway] can slow the growth of prostate cancer tumours – even for tumours that are resistant to hormone therapy.”

NXP800 targets the Heat Shock Factor 1 (HSF1) pathway, which cancer cells use to grow and survive stressful conditions.

ICR studied 439 advanced prostate cancer samples, finding higher levels of heat shock proteins linked to worse outcomes. In lab tests, NXP800 slowed growth in hormone therapy-resistant cells.

Professor Johann de Bono, Regius Professor of Cancer Research at ICR, added: “People with prostate cancers with higher levels of heat shock proteins have significantly worse outcomes. If targeting these proteins proves effective in clinical trials, patients will be able to look forward to longer and better-quality lives.”

Animal studies also showed promising results. In mice with resistant prostate cancers, NXP800 significantly slowed tumour growth. Without the drug, all tumours had doubled in size by 38 days; with NXP800, only 37.5% had.

ICR researchers hope these findings will lead to trials of NXP800 for advanced prostate cancer.

NXP800 has received Fast-Track and Orphan Drug Designation from the US FDA for treating certain ovarian and bile duct cancers.

This research highlights the importance of innovative drug discovery and development for patients with hard-to-treat cancers.