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Researchers 'hopeful' over cancer drug

02 Jun 2009

Clinical Research

Researchers have been encouraged by the latest genetic breast cancer drug trials, it has been claimed.

Scientists have spoken at an industry conference regarding tests involving olaparib, which has undergone an AstraZeneca Phase II trial.

The results showed that of 54 women with advanced genetic breast cancer who took the drug, more than 40 per cent saw a reduction in their tumours.

Researcher also revealed that one patient's tumour disappeared altogether during the tests.

Dr Andrew Tutt, director of the Breakthrough Breast Cancer Research Unit at King's College London and leader of the study, commented that the results are "very promising".

He added: "We are hopeful that olaparib could provide a targeted treatment for women with BRCA-related breast cancer."

Defects in the BRCA-1 or BRCA-2 genes account for around five per cent of breast cancer cases in the UK.

Elsewhere, Sanofi-Aventis and Exelixis recently entered into an agreement to work together on finding inhibitors of solid malignancies.