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- Posted Tuesday June 17, 2014
TGen and Scottsdale Healthcare begin study of new drug for patients with solid tumors
Patients at the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center Clinical Trials will be the first to receive AG-120
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - June 17, 2014 - The
Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare and the Translational
Genomics Research Institute (TGen) are studying the safety and
effectiveness of a new drug, AG-120, for treatment of patients with
solid tumors, especially those with brain tumors and gallbladder
bile duct cancer.
"AG-120 is designed specifically for those patients who carry the
IDH1 gene mutation," said Dr. Daniel D. Von Hoff, Distinguished
Professor and Physician-In-Chief at TGen, and Chief Scientific
Officer for the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center Clinical Trials at
Scottsdale Healthcare, a partnership between Scottsdale Healthcare
and TGen that delivers new treatments to cancer patients based on
precision medicine.
The IDH1 gene mutation is most commonly found in gliomas, which
make up the largest group of "primary" brain tumors, those that
start in the brain. Gliomas include all tumors arising from the
gluey or supportive tissue of the brain. They represent about 30
percent of all brain tumors, and about 80 percent of all malignant
brain tumors.
As with all brain cancers, gliomas are difficult to treat and many
grow back after surgery, radiation and standard of care
chemotherapy. Many drugs cannot get to the brain because of a
filtering mechanism in the body called the blood-brain
barrier.
"There is a great need for more effective treatments for patients
with gliomas and other solid tumors, such as gallbladder bile duct
cancer," said Dr. Von Hoff, who is the Principal Investigator for
AG-120 clinical trial. This study will enroll as many as 50
patients. Researchers will use precision medicine to match
treatments to patient's specific genomic, or molecular,
makeups.
Mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) 1 and 2, originally
discovered in 2008, occur in the vast majority of low-grade gliomas
and secondary high-grade gliomas. IDH mutations are oncogenic,
meaning they have the potential to cause cancer. These mutations
occur early in the formation of gliomas and in gallbladder bile
duct cancer.
AG-120 is produced by Agios Pharmaceuticals Inc., based in
Cambridge, Mass.
IDH1 is a metabolic enzyme identified by Agios as a protein that
is mutated in a wide range of malignant tumors. Agios and its
collaborators recently demonstrated that IDH1 mutations initiate
and drive cancer growth by blocking differentiation, or maturation,
of primitive cells. According to Agios, the inhibition of these
mutated proteins may lead to clinical benefit for those cancer
patients whose tumors carry them.
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About the Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale
Healthcare
The Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare in
Scottsdale, Ariz. offers comprehensive cancer treatment and
research through clinical trials, diagnosis, treatment, prevention
and support services in collaboration with leading scientific
researchers and community oncologists. The Virginia G. Piper Cancer
Center at Scottsdale Healthcare, Scottsdale Healthcare Research
Institute, Scottsdale Healthcare Osborn Medical Center, Scottsdale
Healthcare Shea Medical Center and Scottsdale Healthcare Thompson
Peak Hospital and related entities are part of the non-profit
Scottsdale Lincoln Health Network. For more information, visit: www.shc.org.
Press Contact:
Kaitlan Schick
Virginia G. Piper Cancer Center at Scottsdale Healthcare
480-323-1384
[email protected]
*
About TGen
Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) is a Phoenix,
Arizona-based non-profit organization dedicated to conducting
groundbreaking research with life changing results. TGen is focused
on helping patients with cancer, neurological disorders and
diabetes, through cutting edge translational research (the process
of rapidly moving research towards patient benefit). TGen
physicians and scientists work to unravel the genetic components of
both common and rare complex diseases in adults and children.
Working with collaborators in the scientific and medical
communities literally worldwide, TGen makes a substantial
contribution to help our patients through efficiency and
effectiveness of the translational process. For more information,
visit:www.tgen.org.
Press Contact:
Steve Yozwiak
TGen Senior Science Writer
602-343-8704
[email protected]
*
About Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Agios Pharmaceuticals is focused on discovering and developing
novel drugs to treat cancer and inborn errors of metabolism, or
IEMs, which are rare genetic metabolic diseases, through scientific
leadership in the field of cellular metabolism. In addition to an
active research and discovery pipeline across both therapeutic
areas, Agios has multiple first-in-class lead product candidates in
cancer metabolism and IEMs in clinical and/or preclinical
development. All Agios programs focus on genetically identified
patient populations, leveraging our knowledge of metabolism,
biology and genomics. For more information, please visit our
website at www.agios.com.
Press Contact:
Dan Budwick
973-271-6085
[email protected]