ACT Obtains Exclusive License To Dual Mechanism Anti-Cancer Therapeutic From The University Of Louisville's Brown Cancer Cent

Main Category: Cancer / Oncology
Article Date: 06 Mar 2008 - 2:00 PDT

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Advanced Cancer Therapeutics (ACT), a for-profit private company dedicated to bringing new anti-cancer therapies to market, announced that it has signed an exclusive license to develop and market 3PO and its related compounds, discovered by scientists at the University of Louisville's James Graham Brown Cancer Center.

Brown Cancer Center researchers Dr. Jason Chesney and Dr. John Trent discovered that 3PO inhibits a key enzyme, PFKFB3, which suppresses both sugar metabolism and cell proliferation among cancer cells. Compared to healthy cells, cancer cells consume large amounts of sugar as a source of energy to fuel their growth. In addition, 3PO blocks PFKFB3 from signaling to cancer cells to spread or proliferate. The University of Louisville researchers have shown in the laboratory that 3PO could be a promising anti-cancer therapeutic against cancers such as leukemia and solid tumors.

"We are very excited to have the opportunity to advance this leading edge drug discovery through early clinical development, then to the pharmaceutical industry, and ultimately to the patients who need it," said Randall Riggs, president & CEO of ACT. "Based on the unique drug discovery and early clinical development business model we have established between the University of Louisville's Brown Cancer Center and ACT, we anticipate that this compound will be the first of many novel anti-cancer therapeutic products moving forward."

About Advanced Cancer Therapeutics (ACT)

ACT is a for-profit private company dedicated to advancing novel therapeutics for the prevention and treatment of cancer. ACT has successfully established a unique and innovative business model with the University of Louisville's James Graham Brown Cancer Center (Brown Cancer Center) whereby ACT is able to obtain exclusive worldwide licenses to novel cancer therapeutics discovered at Brown Cancer Center under preset business terms. ACT then fast-tracks these discoveries, including the selection process for partnership, commercialization and manufacture, to the pharmaceutical industry, and ultimately to the patients who need them. Led by Dr. Don Miller, the Brown Cancer Center employs over fifty leading scientists focused on the discovery and advancement of breakthrough cancer therapeutics for patients suffering from cancer.

Advanced Cancer Therapeutics

About James Graham Brown Cancer Center

The James Graham Brown Cancer Center is a key component of the University of Louisville's Health Sciences Center and UofL Health Care. As the region's leading academic, research, and teaching medical center, our patients benefit from the latest medical advances, often long before they become available in non-teaching settings. The Brown Cancer Center is affiliated with the Kentucky Cancer Program and the National Cancer Institute. It is the only cancer center in the region to use a unified approach to cancer care, with multidisciplinary teams of physicians working together to guide patients through diagnosis, treatment and recovery.

James Graham Brown Cancer Center