Amplia Therapeutics has released preclinical data showing its drug candidate, narmafotinib, can target several drivers of pancreatic and ovarian cancer [1].
These findings are significant because pancreatic and ovarian cancers are often considered intractable, meaning they are difficult to treat with existing medical therapies. If narmafotinib can successfully inhibit the drivers of these diseases, it could provide a new pathway for treating patients with limited options.
The company said the new data supports its ongoing push to develop the candidate for these specific malignancies [1]. Narmafotinib is designed to hit multiple drivers of the disease, which may prevent the cancer from bypassing the drug's effects, a common challenge in oncology research.
According to the company, the preclinical results demonstrate the efficacy of the drug in a laboratory setting [1]. While these results are promising, the drug remains in the preclinical stage, meaning it has not yet undergone the full series of human clinical trials required for regulatory approval.
Amplia Therapeutics said narmafotinib can hit several drivers of the intractable disease [1]. The focus on both pancreatic and ovarian cancers suggests the company is exploring a broader application for the drug's mechanism of action across different types of aggressive tumors.
Researchers typically use preclinical data to determine if a drug is safe and effective enough to move into Phase 1 human trials. The company's current data serves as the foundation for those next steps in the development pipeline [1].
“narmafotinib can hit several drivers of the intractable disease”
The transition from preclinical data to human trials is a high-risk phase in drug development. While the ability to target multiple drivers of a cancer is a strong theoretical advantage, many candidates that show efficacy in lab settings fail to replicate those results in human patients. Success here would mark a significant shift in treating some of the most lethal forms of cancer.
