University of Vermont Study Opens New Door for Mesothelioma Treatment

Researchers at the University of Vermont Cancer Center have uncovered a new approach to the treatment of malignant pleural mesothelioma, sparking a clinical trial that has opened with considerable anticipation. The trial involves RSO-021, a novel drug that works by inhibiting a tumor cell’s ability to manage its own toxic waste byproduct. “The key to the therapy is the universal vulnerability present in these cancer cells that our therapeutic approach interferes with,” University of Vermont professor Brian Cunniff, the study’s lead researcher, told The Mesothelioma Center at Asbestos.com. “These tumor cells generate a lot of waste, and they have to manage that waste appropriately, or it can become toxic. “We’re killing them from the inside out, essentially,” Cunniff said. “It’s like putting a potato into the tailpipe. The tumor cells choke on their own exhaust.” Clinical Trial Is First in Humans for RSO-021 RSO-021 therapy has been effective in significantly reducing mesothelioma tumor burden in laboratory and mice models through the inhibition of enzymes in the antioxidant signaling network. “There has been a lot of research around the intervention that we’re testing, but all with preclinical models,” Cunniff said. “This will be a first in-human study. There is a lot of optimism for this approach, based upon the mechanism of action of this drug. We think we’ve developed a specific therapy that could be very beneficial.” ...
Source: Asbestos and Mesothelioma News - Category: Environmental Health Authors: Source Type: news