Crizotinib targets a gene in lung cancer tumors.
The drug Crizotinib (PF0234-1066) was shown to shrink or stabilize tumors in about 90% of the patients who took it. Dr. Yue-Jue Bang of Seoul National University presented these results at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in Chicago last week. Crizotinib works by inhibiting a genetic mutation, EML4-ALK, that is found in lung cancer cells. Roughly 4% of all lung cancer patients have this gene in their tumors and would be likely to benefit from Crizotinib. Pfizer sponsored the research, is proceeding with phase III trials, and is likely to seek FDA approval as early as next year (Reuters). As the EML4-ALK gene was only recently identified in 2007, the work with Crizotinib shows how quickly genetic technologies may be parlayed into powerful and accessible medical therapies.
Lung cancer is one of the biggest killers in the industrialized world. According to the National Cancer Institute, almost 220,000 new cases of lung cancer occur every year in the United States alone. Of these, nearly 10,000 would have the EML4-ALK gene, making them ready targets for the Crizotinib drug. That may seem like a small fraction…and it is. Luckily, Crizotinib isn’t alone. Tarceva (from Genentech) and Iressa (from Astra Zeneca) work in a similar fashion by targeting different mutated genes in tumors. With each new gene identified we can presumably develop another drug to target it, tightening the net until the majority of lung cancers have highly effective therapies. This is a sign that large genetic studies are going to pay big dividends in the years ahead.
Dr. Bang’s Crizotinib trials focused on 82 patients with advanced lung cancer, the majority of whom had already tried a cancer treatment (i.e. chemotherapy) with minimal positive results. As such, Bang expected only about 10% to respond well to Crizotinib. 90%, however, saw some benefits from taking Crizotinib orally, 57% saw significant improvements, and a few had their tumors disappear altogether. You can see Dr. Bang’s presentation at the ASCO press conference in a video on their site (direct link here).
dr. Bang's Criztonib's trial saw remarkable results. Notice the patients who had 100% reduction in tumor size.
Given Crizotinib’s promising results, it’s no surprise that Pfizer is working to get it to market as soon as possible. They are working with Abbott Molecular to develop a test to quickly identify which patients have the EML4-ALK gene in their tumors. Meanwhile, phase III clinical trials for Crizotinib are already in the works, as are safety tests with larger sample sets. Currently observed side effects include nausea (more than half of patients), diarrhea, and vomitting. According to the ASCO, however, those patients in the trial who had already undergone chemotherapy preferred these effects to ones generated by their chemotherapy drugs. Clearly we still need to verify that Crizotinib is better than alternative treatments available today, but these early results are a very positive sign of the drug’s potential.
Singularity Hub really isn’t in the business of commenting on every cancer drug that gets released, but Crizotinib is something special. As we already mentioned, it’s one of a series of new drugs that will target specific genetic mutations in cancers. Just as importantly, Crizotinib demonstrates the remarkable speed in which a newly discovered genetic markers for cancer can be translated into a powerful therapy. The work identifying EML4-ALK was published in 2007, and Pfizer might be pursuing FDA approval in early 2011. That’s less than a five year turn around! Not all drugs will have such a fast-track to consumer availability, but it gives me hope that many of the breakthrough discoveries I see everyday will be arriving in the doctor’s office very soon.
[image credits: Wiki Commons, Yue-Jue Bang]
[source: Reuters, ASCO, Bang et al, ASCO 2010, Pfizer]
Comments
Patients interested in this drug will first need to have their cancer tested for the mutation. Start with this link to clinical trials info:
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00932893?term=crizotinib&rank=13
Note that Crizotinib is also called PF-02341066.
If you fit the demographic for people likely to have the ALK mutation, but don’t qualify for the trial: You can get the genetic testing done outside of the trial, and then get the medicine from Pfizer if you test positive. Genzyme Genetics does the test for people not in a trial. Contact a hospital that is conducting the trial for information, or ask your oncologist.
Patients interested in this drug will first need to have their cancer tested for the mutation. Start with this link to clinical trials info:
http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT00932893?term=crizotinib&rank=13
Note that Crizotinib is also called PF-02341066.
If you fit the demographic for people likely to have the ALK mutation, but don’t qualify for the trial: You can get the genetic testing done outside of the trial, and then get the medicine from Pfizer if you test positive. Genzyme Genetics does the test for people not in a trial. Contact a hospital that is conducting the trial for information, or ask your oncologist.
My father has lung cancer and his having very good results with TARCEVA. (his is in IV stage of cancer but mixing quimio and Tarceva this tumors and metastasis reduced aroun 60%)
But I am worried about next steps and I hope we can take another drug with a little bit more long term results.
First question, how can I access to this medicine, where can I buy it?
Second, there any option to find more long term results?
My father has lung cancer and his having very good results with TARCEVA. (his is in IV stage of cancer but mixing quimio and Tarceva this tumors and metastasis reduced aroun 60%)
But I am worried about next steps and I hope we can take another drug with a little bit more long term results.
First question, how can I access to this medicine, where can I buy it?
Second, there any option to find more long term results?
my husband has been diognosed with ALK POSITIVE nsclc . how can i get on the trial
I’m excited to learn abut crizotinib. Chemotherapy did not work on my older sister and she was not able to continue Tarceva due to other infections she encountered. Her spirit is good though and we have hope. I wonder if clinical trial for this therapy drug is being conducted in Hawaii. She has adenocarcinoma. How can I get her enrolled?
I’m excited to learn abut crizotinib. Chemotherapy did not work on my older sister and she was not able to continue Tarceva due to other infections she encountered. Her spirit is good though and we have hope. I wonder if clinical trial for this therapy drug is being conducted in Hawaii. She has adenocarcinoma. How can I get her enrolled?
Another hugely expensive drug that will help a tiny fraction of cancer sufferers live a few extra months. We seem to have gotten out of the business of curing diseases and into the business of keeping people lingering on a bit longer at enormous expense.
Business trends alone are not the point of this site. A large part of the mental energy released here is devoted to the simple realization, expected and actual, of technological trends.
My husband started this drug 9 weeks ago and his disease so far has been stable. It may not seem like much to you, but for me it is a miracle, that hopefully will have long term results. The original study as not yet reached the midpoint, which means more than half the people are still alive. This article doesn’t mention that this is considered a Non-smokers disease. Most of the people with the ALK are healthy, never smokers, on average 10 years younger than the rest of the Lung Cancer population.
Another thing to consider is that since the drug is getting into the market so quickly with a very targeted test group, it has a good chance of costing much less than the other designer drugs.
My husband has been on the drug since the beginning of April, it has pretty much shrunken all the cancer in his lungs and we believe it has helped what might have been in his bone as well. He is a different person since January, he is alive and well and happy. Even if it doesn’t keep him alive for another 30 years, at least it is a step in the right direction. The next drug maybe the one that does, but this one will hopefully be the on that gets him to the next step. Its been a miracle. He gets to spend more time with his son, and will hopefully get to see his next child born as well. Its the step in the right direction for a lot of people with cancer, and all we can do is go one step at a time.
I wonder if you would feel the same way if it was you or a loved one who this drug could help. My husband is 39 has two young children, we will gladly take any time we can get.
Another hugely expensive drug that will help a tiny fraction of cancer sufferers live a few extra months. We seem to have gotten out of the business of curing diseases and into the business of keeping people lingering on a bit longer at enormous expense.
Business trends alone are not the point of this site. A large part of the mental energy released here is devoted to the simple realization, expected and actual, of technological trends.
My husband started this drug 9 weeks ago and his disease so far has been stable. It may not seem like much to you, but for me it is a miracle, that hopefully will have long term results. The original study as not yet reached the midpoint, which means more than half the people are still alive. This article doesn’t mention that this is considered a Non-smokers disease. Most of the people with the ALK are healthy, never smokers, on average 10 years younger than the rest of the Lung Cancer population.
Another thing to consider is that since the drug is getting into the market so quickly with a very targeted test group, it has a good chance of costing much less than the other designer drugs.
My husband has been on the drug since the beginning of April, it has pretty much shrunken all the cancer in his lungs and we believe it has helped what might have been in his bone as well. He is a different person since January, he is alive and well and happy. Even if it doesn’t keep him alive for another 30 years, at least it is a step in the right direction. The next drug maybe the one that does, but this one will hopefully be the on that gets him to the next step. Its been a miracle. He gets to spend more time with his son, and will hopefully get to see his next child born as well. Its the step in the right direction for a lot of people with cancer, and all we can do is go one step at a time.
I wonder if you would feel the same way if it was you or a loved one who this drug could help. My husband is 39 has two young children, we will gladly take any time we can get.
You are an ass
Wow, My mom was just diagonsed with lung cancer that has created an additional spot on her T12. This drug sounds so promissing any idea how to go about getting this RX as a trial or sample?
Talk with your Mom’s oncologist. They’re probably already familiar with the trials results, but bring a copy of it anyway.
You need to be careful about the latest hope and hype that comes out. Jaded professionals are likely to offer the best course of action, or no action.
The Pfizer link in the article had the following for Trial contact info:
PATIENT ENROLLMENT INFORMATION
For more information, contact the Pfizer Oncology Clinical Trial Information Services.
Contact options
o Phone (US/Canada): 1-877-369-9753
o Phone (International): 1-646-277-4066
o E-mail: [email protected]
o Website: http://www.pfizercancertrials.com
Good Luck and Best wishes.
Wow, My mom was just diagonsed with lung cancer that has created an additional spot on her T12. This drug sounds so promissing any idea how to go about getting this RX as a trial or sample?
Talk with your Mom’s oncologist. They’re probably already familiar with the trials results, but bring a copy of it anyway.
You need to be careful about the latest hope and hype that comes out. Jaded professionals are likely to offer the best course of action, or no action.
The Pfizer link in the article had the following for Trial contact info:
PATIENT ENROLLMENT INFORMATION
For more information, contact the Pfizer Oncology Clinical Trial Information Services.
Contact options
o Phone (US/Canada): 1-877-369-9753
o Phone (International): 1-646-277-4066
o E-mail: [email protected]
o Website: http://www.pfizercancertrials.com
Good Luck and Best wishes.
Wow, given the folks I’ve known that have gotten various types of lung cancer are all dead, and chemo treatments just appeared to make them more miserable before dieing, this sounds like good news.
I justify some VERY FUN higher risk activities (flying small planes, rock climbing, …) because of the number of relatives dieing before age 70 of various cancers. It’ll be interesting if real advancements make me re-think what I do for fun!
Wow, given the folks I’ve known that have gotten various types of lung cancer are all dead, and chemo treatments just appeared to make them more miserable before dieing, this sounds like good news.
I justify some VERY FUN higher risk activities (flying small planes, rock climbing, …) because of the number of relatives dieing before age 70 of various cancers. It’ll be interesting if real advancements make me re-think what I do for fun!