The findings from a Phase III clinical trial under the leadership of London’s Queen Mary University were described in a recently published edition of JAMA Oncology. The new treatment has been shown to significantly increase survival of individuals with malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) which is a rare and often fatal cancer as treatment options are limited.
The breakthrough treatment for MPM should be credited to Queen Mary University’s Professor Peter Szlosarek who devoted over twenty years to its discovery.
About the ATOMIC-meso Trial
According to the published results, 249 patients diagnosed with MPM participated in the ATOMIC-meso clinical trial. The new treatment combines the drug ADI-PEG20 with standard chemotherapy. When first tested, the median survival increased by 1.6 months.
A much more impressive analysis was observed at the 36-month mark when survival quadrupled compared to placebo and chemotherapy. Historically, the five-year survival rate for MPM has been between 5 to 10% and is among the lowest for all types of solid cancer.
You can find the published results of the study in Jama Oncology here.
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About MPM
MPM is an aggressive and an especially rare cancer affecting the lungs. It is believed to be caused by exposure to asbestos. Usually, it is treated with strong chemotherapy drugs. However, they are not effective in stopping the rapid progression of MPM.
The odds against finding a cure are intimidating. The method of starving the malignant tumor by blocking its supply of food is simplistic, but the results are encouraging.
You can read more about malignant pleural mesothelioma at our rare disease partner site, Patient Worthy.
About ADI-PEG20
The new drug, ADI-PEG20, depletes arginine levels in the patient’s bloodstream. This is the key to its success as cells require nutrients to multiply and grow including arginine (amino acids). The growth of the tumor cells is prevented as a result of a missing enzyme, plus the fact that the tumor cells are unable to manufacture their own enzymes.
The trial represents two decades of research by scientists at Queen Mary’s Cancer Institute, as outlined by the organization here. The research began when Professor Szlosarek discovered that the mesothelioma cells do not have an ASS1 protein that enables a cell to develop its own arginine. Since the discovery, Professor Szlosarek and associates have used this knowledge for the creation of a treatment that would be effective against MPM.
Professor Szlowsarek recognized Polaris Pharmaceuticals and its investigating teams for their dedication to the drug’s development.
There are other studies currently being conducted involving glioblastoma multiforme patients (a type of brain tumor) or sarcoma.
malignant pleural mesothelioma research
Last modified: February 21, 2024
