In this issue, we will be discussing aspects of how information can be obtained from novel in vitro screens, the discovery and development of drugs directed against new pathways. Finally, how drugs can be administered in a non-conventional way can have benefits in treatment of the disease is discussed.
The free downloads available in this newsletter highlight some of the most recent developments in cancer drug discovery and development. I will elaborate on them below.
The first article, by Beverly L. Falcon, Julie Stewart, Scharri Ezell, Jeff Hanson, John Wijsman, Xiang Ye, Eric Westin,
Greg Donoho, Kelly Credilleand Mark T. Uhlik of Eli Lilly and Co. Ltd., entitled “High-content multiplexed tissue imaging and quantification for cancer drug discovery” describes how high throughput methods can be applied to industrialize the process of cancer drug discovery using IHC. The article shows how this approach can assist in assessing aspects of tumor models used to determine efficacy of novel anti-cancer therapies, in addition to examining how cancer cells change and adapt in in vitro models as well as following molecules with novel modes of action.
The second article, by Thomas R. Webb, Amanda S. Joyner and Philip M. Potter, entitled: “The development and application of
small molecule modulators of SF3b as therapeutic agents for cancer” is involved with the discovery and development of spliceosome modulators. The authors discuss the biological properties of such agents and the validity of the spliceosome as a target for the discovery of cancer therapies. Their overall hypothesis is that modification of alternative splicing will represent an important approach to the discovery of novel, cancer cell-selective agents.
Finally, is the review from David Loven, Erez Hasnis, Francesco Bertoliniand Yuval Shaked, entitled: “Low-dose metronomic chemotherapy: from past experience to new paradigms in the treatment of cancer”. Developments in cancer drug administration paradigms can bring about unexpected benefits from developing and established therapies. Such a treatment regimen fundamentally changes tumor microenvironment and, additionally, can produce other benefits from changing innate factors that favour tumor cell growth. The authors discuss phase III clinical trial data from LDM chemotherapy and how this approach may be of value in the future to the systemic treatment of cancer in patients.
Steve Carney was born in Liverpool, England and studied Biochemistry at Liverpool University, obtaining a BSc.(Hons) and then read for a PhD on the Biochemistry and Pathology of Connective Tissue Diseases in Manchester University, in the Departments of Medical Biochemistry and Histopathology. On completion of his PhD he moved to the Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, London, where he worked with Professor Helen Muir FRS and Professor Tim Hardingham, on the biochemistry of experimental Osteoarthritis. He joined Eli Lilly and Co. and held a number of positions in Biology R&D, initially in the Connective Tissue Department, but latterly in the Neuroscience Department. He left Lilly to take up his present position as Managing Editor, Drug Discovery Today, at Elsevier. He has authored over 40 peer-reviewed articles, written several book chapters and has held a number of patents.