Promising new treatment for incurable prostate cancer

New Australian research has found promising signs that a novel drug could radically change the way prostate cancer is treated.
 
The study from Flinders University and University of South Australia explored the effectiveness of the new drug, CDKI-73, in targeting the cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) protein.
 
CDK9 plays a crucial role in the growth and survival of prostate cancer cells and promotes several key oncogenic signalling pathways in cancer.
 
The researchers set out to test whether CDKI-73 could overcome the cancer’s resistance to current treatments in a way that ‘defies conventional therapies’.
 
‘Our work demonstrates that CDK9 inhibition disrupts multiple oncogenic pathways and positions CDKI-73 as a promising therapeutic agent for prostate cancer, particularly aggressive, therapy-resistant subtypes,’ the study concludes.
 
Study co-lead Associate Professor Luke Selth said the findings show that CDKI-73 blocks the growth of prostate cancer, including its aggressive subtypes which are resistant to current treatments.
 
‘Importantly, CDKI-73 targets cancer cells specifically without harming normal cells and its potential as an oral capsule makes it an attractive treatment option,’ he said.
 
‘This study represents a significant step forward in understanding the role of CDK9 in aggressive prostate cancer.
 
‘Having said that, we still need to do a lot more work to fully understand the potential of CDK9 inhibitors and to deliver a new treatment for patients.’
 
The study examined the effects of CDKI-73 using an array of prostate cancer models, including patient tumour samples.
 
The research also identifies that prostate cancer continues to be the most diagnosed cancer in Australian men, causing more than 3300 deaths each year.
 
Additionally, an estimated 26,400 cases will be diagnosed in 2024, accounting for 28% of the cancers to be diagnosed in males for the year.
 
CDKI-73 is currently being investigated in Phase 2 clinical trials in patients with relapsed and therapy-resistant acute myeloid leukaemia.
 
The other study co-lead, Professor Shudong Wang, who developed CDKI-73, says it is a promising candidate for treating solid tumours.
 
‘Our proof-of-principle study is an important step towards future clinical trials and these findings will inform future studies in the use and efficacy of CDKI-73 as a prostate cancer treatment,’ he said.
 
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