Lung cancer, a molecule works when the cures don't respond

A molecule discovered, a special infiltrate, developed by the Amgen researchers, which blocks the cancer cells of the lung cancer, inserting itself in a pocket never identified before a protein, essentially a 'weak point' to block it even in patients on whom care does not work. Approved in the United States, it will be tested in Europe and Italy in 2020, as some experts today in Milan have explained.
The promising antitumor activity of the new molecule also reported in Nature, has been confirmed and strengthened by the recent encouraging results of the phase 1 study that demonstrate disease control in 100% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer.
Enrollment is now starting in a phase III study involving 300 centers and 650 patients, with Italy involved with 15 participating centers, coordinated by the University of Turin. Faced with these steps forward, however, in our country the diagnosis is often late and the access to molecular tests, to typify the neoplasm and identify the targets for targeted therapies, is not homogeneous throughout the national territory nor can it be reimbursed in all the Regions .
The molecule that represents a new weapon is called AMG510 and was discovered by Amgen researchers in fact by exploiting a hidden pocket of the KRASG12C protein, it could become a new weapon against lung tumors and other solid tumors. Currently in Italy there are 42,500 new diagnoses of lung cancer every year, of these 35 thousand concern non-small cell lung cancer that in about 3,000 cases is caused by the specific mutation KRAS.G12C The goal is to succeed within a couple of years to treat and treat non-small cell lung cancer with KRAS specific mutation, to date insensitive to drugs.
AMG510 is in fact the first drug to reach the clinical stage after over 30 years of fruitless research to try to act on the mutated protein KRASG12C, which has not been attacked until now because there was never a 'molecular grip' against which to target the drug. After the first positive clinical results, a phase III trial is starting, involving 650 patients from 300 centers in 15 countries.
In this study, which could mark a turning point in the treatment of solid tumors, Italy is the leader in Europe for participating structures, with 15 centers coordinated by the University of Turin. The therapy reduced the tumor in 54% of patients with non-small cell lung cancer, 7 of 13 evaluable patients who received 960 mg and stopped tumor growth in the remaining 46%, 6 of 13 evaluable patients who received 960 mg demonstrating disease control in 100% of patients.
Maria Luce Vegna, Amgen Medical Director, explains: "If clinical studies confirm the premises, AMG510 could become the first therapy for tumors with this type of mutation, with possible benefits for thousands of cancer patients".