Home > About BNE > Press Room > 2007 Archive > November > Possible New Cancer Drug Developed in Buffalo

This is the 20 milligram supply. This drug, so new it doesn't have a name, is now beginning to be tested in a small number of cancer patients.

Dr. David Hangauer, U.B. Professor of Chemistry, "We're very excited by this drug, because its the onbly drug of its type in the world."

Dr. Hangauer developed the technology to make this drug in his lab at U.B.; then a biotech company called Kinex was formed to continue its development. In the lab, it was amazingly successful.

Dr. David Hangauer, U.B. Professor of Chemistry, "When we tested it against isolated cancer cells, it was active against every cancer we tested it against, both cancers that lead to solid tumors as well as leukemias and then when we tested the drug in animal models, it always worked and it worked without any toxicity in the animals in the doses that were used."

Here's an example. Human prostate cancers were inoculated into in rats, and the growth of the tumors could be observed by a luminous display. Compared to rats that were untreated, those that received a low dose of the drug had smaller tumors, and thopse that received a higher dose had even less tumor growth. The drug also stopped the drug from spreading, and that's important. So now it's ready for human trials. The drug is carefully portioned out in a specially isolated room at the center for excellence in life sciences. Part of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus, and it will be tested next door at Roswell Park. The first tests are preliminary, to find out whether it could be harmful.

Dr. David Hangauer, U.B. Professor of Chemistry, "Some toxicity will show up, any drug will show toxicity at some dose., so we look for what's called the maximum tolerated dose."

The drug may become a blockbuster, and Kinex hopes to use the technology to make many more.

Dr. David Hangauer, U.B. Professor of Chemistry, "And we do plan to become a very important pharmaceutical enterprise here; a drug discovery and development enterprise here in Buffalo."

That's the pattern that everyone was hoping for when the institutions of the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus began collaborating and its working. The new drug is similar to some others, but has a couple of important potential advantages, it will still be years before it's widely available, but it's on the way.

(Q) How can cancer patients participate in the trial?

(A) This is what's called a phase one trial, it's main purpose is to make sure the drug isn't harmful, so it's only being given to people who have not done well on all other forms of treatment.