- The study will evaluate the safety and efficacy of the molecule IMP1734, a selective inhibitor that blocks a key enzyme for DNA repair in cancer cells.
- It is the first time that Parc Taulí participates in a clinical study first-in-human in oncology
Parc Taulí has started a multicenter clinical trial to evaluate for the first time in humans the safety, tolerance and efficacy of a new oncology drug. The molecule, developed by the pharmaceutical company Eikon Therapeutics, is aimed at patients with advanced cancers of the prostate, breast, pancreas and ovaries that have genetic alterations in DNA repair genes.
"These are solid tumors that, with the few therapeutic options currently available, have a very poor prognosis. This drug could mean a more precise, more effective alternative with fewer side effects for patients”, reveals Enrique Gallardo, oncologist and co-head of the biomedical cancer research group of the Parc Taulí Institute for Research and Innovation (I3PT).
This drug may represent a more precise, more effective alternative with fewer side effects for patients"
Gallardo is the person in charge of leading the clinical study at Parc Taulí, one of the three Catalan centers –with Vall d'Hebron and Hospital del Mar– included among the eleven selected at the state level to begin phase 1/2. The trial consists of a dose escalation, starting with low amounts that are progressively increased. to evaluate safety and tolerance, with an expected duration of one and a half years.
“We estimate that around ten patients will be able to participate in Parc Taulí during the first year, out of a total of between 30 and 40 included in all the participating centers in this initial phase”, explains José García, head of the coordination of oncology clinical trials at Parc Taulí. “These are patients with advanced tumors who have exhausted conventional options and can benefit from access to innovative therapies”, he adds.
How does the IMP1734 molecule work?
The molecule under study is a selective inhibitor of the PARP1 enzyme, key to repairing cell DNA when it is damagedAlthough this function is positive in healthy cells, it also makes cancer cells more resistant to treatments such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
By specifically blocking this enzyme, the molecule prevents cancer cells from repairing their DNA, which weakens them and can lead to their death. Healthy cells, on the other hand, have other repair pathways that make them less vulnerable to this blockage. This selectivity could reduce side effects compared to more aggressive treatments.
"What can make this drug special is its precision. In fact, the importance no longer lies so much in the anatomical location of the tumor, as in its specific genetic alteration. We are looking for it to be more potent or less toxic than existing treatments, preserving the quality of life of patients," says Gallardo.
The first oncology trial first-in-human held at Parc Taulí
It is the first time that Parc Taulí participates in a clinical study first-in-human in oncology, a type of trial where the drug, in this case the molecule IMP1734, is administered for the first time in humans after testing in laboratory and animal models.
"That our center can participate in such a study is very relevant, because it is one of the lines of growth that we want to promote. Trials in very initial phases, such as phase 1, are typical of centers of international prestige, which have units dedicated exclusively to early trials," explains García.
This step consolidates Parc Taulí and its Clinical Trials Support Unit as a benchmark in conducting clinical studies and opens the door to future studies. first-in-human. "If all goes well, this could be the first of many", predicts Gallardo.
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