PNAS: the success of the new drug molecules to inhibit tumor growth and metastasis

In July 9, "New England Journal of Medicine" (NEJM) published the results of a drug research: Researchers discovered a new drug, called dupilumab, can be used to treat the most common skin disease. The main mechanism of action is to block the role of two key proteins involved in the inflammatory response, which respectively are interleukin-4 and interleukin-13. This is of great significance for atopic dermatitis.

Atopic dermatitis is a common skin disease which could not only affect the patient's ability and life but also lead to asthma and other allergic diseases such as hay fever. Currently, the treatments for atopic dermatitis include topical and oral administration of steroids or phototherapy. But the effects of these treatments are limited or with side effects after long-term usage.

In this study, there has been significant improvement in the symptoms of itching skin disease activity in the patient treated with dupilumab. In this regard, dupilumab seems to be a very effective drug for adult atopic dermatitis patients.However, more large-scale studies are still needed to confirm the safety and efficacy of dupilumab.

Research shows, the performance of dupilumab is pretty good in Phase I and II clinical trials, in a 12-week clinical phase II study, 74% participants have the Eczema Area Severity Index of decreased, while only 23% decreased in the control group. Meanwhile, most of the itching symptoms of the patients participating in the trial showed remarkable improvement.

This research will undergo Phase III clinical trial for dupilumab to aim at confirm the effects and monitor side effects of the commonly treatment methods.

Researchers from the University of California, the University of Massachusetts and Harvard Medical School have successfully created a new potential drug molecule (PTUTB) in combination of a COX-2 inhibitor Celebrex and an epoxide hydrolase (sEH) inhibitor. This new drug could control angiogenesis (blood vessel formation) and limit the ability of tumor growth and proliferation. The study was published in the journal PNAS.

The lipid signaling has long been associated with cell migration, proliferation and high blood pressure, whereas COX and sEH enzymes control lipid signals. COX inhibitors can block the generation of lipid that can induce inflammation and pain; meanwhile, sEH inhibitor is an anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory and analgesic compound.

In this study, the scientists tested the functions of the dual inhibitor to human lung cancer and breast cancer in vitro and in mice and found that PTUTB could block angiogenesis and inhibit the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells (which is crucial for angiogenesis). These in turn limit the growth and metastasis of tumor and reduce the growth of breast cancer and lung cancer. Excitingly, compared to COX-2 inhibitors, the new combination drug has fewer side effects and no cardiovascular or gastrointestinal side effects. COX-2 inhibitors would bring cardiovascular disease risk, wherever, the combination of SEH inhibitors and COX-2 inhibitors seem to be able to eliminate the side effects of COX-2.

The researchers said: Although this study focuses on cancers, but dual inhibitor may other diseases such as macular degeneration also have a role.