Abiraterone prostate cancer drug
The ground-breaking research into a new drug for prostate cancer called abiraterone received worldwide acclaim when results from the Phase I clinical trial were published in 2008.
Abiraterone works to block the generation of key hormones that drive the growth of prostate cancers. The study, funded by Cougar Biotechnology Inc., found that the drug can treat up to 80% of patients with aggressive drug-resistant prostate cancer.
Lead researcher Dr Johann de Bono concluded that there is significant tumour shrinkage with dramatic falls in PSA levels in the majority of advanced prostate cancer for patients receiving the drug. Royal Marsden patients who continued using abiraterone in the study were able to have their disease controlled with few side effects, and a number of patients were able to stop taking morphine for the relief of bone pain.
Larger scale clinical trials are now in progress.