For the treatment of patients with brain cancer, Cancer Research UK’s Drug Development Office has opened up a new trial to investigate a new combination of drugs. The Phase I clinical trial will take place at The Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow, the Christie Hospital in Manchester, and the Royal Marsden Hospital and The Institute of Cancer Research in Sutton. Patients who need surgery after glioblastoma (the most aggressive form of brain cancer) has returned, will receive olaparib alongside temozolomide – standard chemotherapy treatment.
Olaparib is a PARP inhibitor, a new class of drugs, and is being developed by AstraZeneca.
Scientists hope to reveal that olaparib will make temozolomide more efficient against brain tumor cells. Although laboratory tests have shown promise, this will be the first time this combination has been tested on patients.
The first goal for the two-part investigation will be to find out whether olaparib can reach brain tumors by crossing the blood-brain barrier. This structure protects the brain by separating brain fluids from the blood that is circulating around the rest of the body, however, it can also prevent some drugs from reaching their target. Since the blood-brain barrier is disrupted in individuals with glioblastoma, the investigators are confident that olaparib will reach the tumor cells.
In this initial phase of the trial,a few days prior to their surgery, six patients will receive olaparib tablets. During surgery tumor samples will be collected and examined to see whether the olaparib has crossed the blood-brain barrier and reached the tumor. At this stage in the trial, olaparib will be given on its own and will not provide any benefits, however, the patients will go on to receive further standard treatment for their cancer after the operation.
The second part of the investigation will find out the suitable doses for treatment combining olaparib and temozolomide, and might reveal if the combination will be effective for some patients.
Lead clinican Professor Anthony Chalmers, of the University of Glasgow and the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, explained:
“It’s very exciting to launch a trial of a new approach to treat glioblastomas. Once the disease has returned, patients have limited options so there is an urgent need for new treatments.
Most of the patients in the trial will have had previous treatment with radiotherapy and temozolomide and the likelihood of temozolomide being effective again is quite low. By adding olaparib we hope to increase the effectiveness of the temozolomide in treating tumors which have returned.”
Dr Nigel Blackburn, director of drug development at Cancer Research UK’s Drug Development Office, commented:
“It’s incredibly encouraging to launch this trial combining two drugs which have both been developed through work led by Cancer Research UK scientists. We hope that this new treatment approach will help extend the lives of brain cancer patients for whom the disease has returned.
We’re heavily investing in further ways to develop targeted treatments through trials such as this to treat a wide range of cancers. We look forward to the results with great interest.”
Written by Grace Rattue