Scientists at Sweden’s Umeå University, in collaboration with partner institutions, have developed an experimental drug that could slow the growth of aggressive prostate cancer and prevent it from spreading.
The findings, published in the journal Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, suggest the treatment could offer a new approach to combating metastatic prostate cancer.
Lead researcher and Professor of Pathology at Umeå University, Maréne Landström, said the team identified the biological mechanisms responsible for cancer cell growth, invasiveness and metastasis, paving the way for the development of the new therapy.
According to the researchers, the treatment is based on a fully human antibody made entirely from human proteins, making it a strong candidate for future therapeutic use.
Preclinical studies showed the antibody successfully halted tumour growth and prevented the spread of aggressive prostate cancer. The researchers said the treatment works through a newly identified mechanism that could also minimise the risk of side effects.
Landström described the discovery as a significant breakthrough but stressed that additional safety studies and regulatory approvals in Europe or the United States are required before the drug can be used in patients.
She said the long-term goal is to improve survival rates and quality of life for people living with advanced prostate cancer.
The research team also plans to investigate whether the same treatment could be effective against other solid tumours.
The study involved scientists from the SciLifeLab Drug Discovery and Development Platform, with additional support from the Umeå Biotech Incubator and funding from MetaCurUm Biotech AB for the drug’s development and testing.