University researchers said on Monday that the novel drug, D3S-001, had shown “promising” results for treating non-small-cell lung, colorectal and pancreatic cancers triggered by the gene mutation KRAS-G12C during its phase one clinical trial.
The drug is said to be a “next-generation” inhibitor for the gene mutation, which can currently only be treated using a limited number of therapeutic options.
“It does inhibit KRAS-G12C at a quicker rate and most likely at a longer duration as well [compared with a first-generation inhibitor],” said Dr Herbert Loong Ho-fung, an associate professor at CUHK’s clinical oncology department.
“This is demonstrated in the laboratory and certainly in our clinical trials. We’re also seeing signals of this in our patients.”
Loong said phase one of the drug’s clinical trial found that 70 per cent of the 42 participating patients who received the inhibitor for the first time saw a significant shrinkage or disappearance of their tumours.
