Results of new breakthrough cancer treatments
3 min read 19 April 2023
Two Peter Mac Medical Oncologists and Researchers presented the results of exciting first in human trials in bowel cancer and solid tumours at the prestigious American Association for Cancer Research Meeting.
Professors Jayesh Desai and Ben Solomon from Peter Mac shared their experience of leading trials with new therapies that target RAS, the most commonly mutated pathway in cancer.
“Early results of a trial with GDC-6036 (now known as divarasib -a new KRAS targeted treatment) combined with cetuximab in patients with bowel cancer look very promising with 62 per cent of patients having a significant response to treatment,” said Professor Jayesh Desai, Associate Director of Clinical Research at Peter Mac.
“KRAS is one of the most commonly mutated pathways in cancer. We have been successful in developing treatments that target a unique type of KRAS mutation called KRAS G12C that is of particular importance in bowel and lung cancer,” said Professor Desai.
“These treatments have been successful in lung cancer but finding a treatment that works in bowel cancer has been more challenging until now.
“Bowel cancer affects about 15,000 Australians each year and can be very challenging to treat if it is not caught early, which is why this new treatment is very exciting,” he said.
“In this global trial, presented by lead investigator Professor Desai from Peter Mac, we tested the new treatment called divarasib which very potently targets KRAS G12C, along with an approved drug cetuximab, which targets a key protein in bowel cancer known as EGFR.
“We are encouraged by these results and look forward to conducting more research to further assess the safety and benefits of this treatment,” said Professor Desai.
In the same special session on clinical use of KRAS inhibitors, Peter Mac clinician researcher Professor Ben Solomon presented his experience of using the RAF dimer inhibitor called lifirafenib in combination with the MEK inhibitor mirdametinib in patients with advanced or refractory solid tumours, with encouraging initial results seen in a number of tumour types.
Also presenting at the American Association for Cancer Research Meeting was Dr Heidi Fettke who presented data on genomic aberrations in circulating tumour DNA in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and Professor Sarah-Jane Dawson was invited to present on liquid biopsy opportunities and challenges of Cell-Free DNA.
International meetings of this calibre allow our researchers to share ideas, collaborate and showcase the depth of research coming from Peter Mac.
Professors Jayesh Desai and Ben Solomon from Peter Mac shared their experience of leading trials with new therapies that target RAS, the most commonly mutated pathway in cancer.
“Early results of a trial with GDC-6036 (now known as divarasib -a new KRAS targeted treatment) combined with cetuximab in patients with bowel cancer look very promising with 62 per cent of patients having a significant response to treatment,” said Professor Jayesh Desai, Associate Director of Clinical Research at Peter Mac.
“KRAS is one of the most commonly mutated pathways in cancer. We have been successful in developing treatments that target a unique type of KRAS mutation called KRAS G12C that is of particular importance in bowel and lung cancer,” said Professor Desai.
“These treatments have been successful in lung cancer but finding a treatment that works in bowel cancer has been more challenging until now.
“Bowel cancer affects about 15,000 Australians each year and can be very challenging to treat if it is not caught early, which is why this new treatment is very exciting,” he said.
“In this global trial, presented by lead investigator Professor Desai from Peter Mac, we tested the new treatment called divarasib which very potently targets KRAS G12C, along with an approved drug cetuximab, which targets a key protein in bowel cancer known as EGFR.
“We are encouraged by these results and look forward to conducting more research to further assess the safety and benefits of this treatment,” said Professor Desai.
In the same special session on clinical use of KRAS inhibitors, Peter Mac clinician researcher Professor Ben Solomon presented his experience of using the RAF dimer inhibitor called lifirafenib in combination with the MEK inhibitor mirdametinib in patients with advanced or refractory solid tumours, with encouraging initial results seen in a number of tumour types.
Also presenting at the American Association for Cancer Research Meeting was Dr Heidi Fettke who presented data on genomic aberrations in circulating tumour DNA in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer and Professor Sarah-Jane Dawson was invited to present on liquid biopsy opportunities and challenges of Cell-Free DNA.
International meetings of this calibre allow our researchers to share ideas, collaborate and showcase the depth of research coming from Peter Mac.