Curis Hedgehog and Beyond --plus multi-targeting cancer inhibitors

The theory of Adult Stem Cells causing some/most cancers goes like this.

There is long-known association between cancer and chronic tissue injury. For example, if you stay out in the sun your are more likely to develop skin cancer. If you smoke you increase your risk for lung cancers. Another example is drinking. Continued chemical insult can also cause many cancers or even environmental factors.

How does this relate to ASC?

Every time your tissue gets damaged it has to repair itself. It repairs itself from ASC. This normally happens over and over again. However, the more times this happens the more likely you are to develop cancer. This is because an adult stem cell(s) gets stuck in a continual state of repair.

What happens when ASC gets stuck in repair mode?

When a cell is in repair mode it sends out signals to growth factors & angiogenic factors (this is just like cancer). Also if you think about tissues that gets turned over very quickly. Colon, prostate and ovarian cancer fall into this category.

This is why I don't like the idea of cancer therapies that damage tissue (radiation). If you damage tissue/cells they are going to send the same signals out that cancer does so you better be dam sure you get all the cancer otherwise you are putting more gas on the fire!

What happens if I take an inhibitor of this pathway. What MIGHT be the side effects?

If you are an Adult then you are in good shape. The reason is because your cells have already stopped dividing and are only call to turn on the pathway when your tissue gets damaged. So if you have had a bad injury it might not be a good idea to take an antagonist of this pathway. Also any type of cell that has a fast turn over such has colon, stomach, taste buds...ect will probably see the highest incident of side effects. However, this is a very common theme for most cancer drugs, luckily inhibiting a specific pathway like the Hh will hopefully produce less side effects

If you are young or going to become or are pregnant I would not come close to any type of molecule that manipulates this pathway. This could/will cause birth defects. I would expect neuronal defects in young children.

Tissue repair and stem cell renewal in carcinogenesis. (published in nature)

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1554909

I just joined this board, which at first glance seems to be peopled by members who are serious and well informed. I am also a holder of Keryx (KERX) which is developing drugs targeted at some of the same cancers.

Hi Leo,

Welcome. I just got this board up and running again. The search engines will hopefully start indexing it soon!

I just took a look at Keryx. KRX-0401 (perifosine), looks like a promising and interesting inhibitor. Akt is very important for cancer cells. Since we cancer treatment is getting specific almost gene specific a lot of different inhibitors will likely be used in combination. These specific inhibitors like Keryx has found out also produce less side effects. Since cancer is ever changing it is very good that companies are starting to revolutionize cancer treatment.

How did you find Keryx?

hedgehog wrote:Hi Leo,

Welcome. I just got this board up and running again. The search engines will hopefully start indexing it soon!

I just took a look at Keryx. KRX-0401 (perifosine), looks like a promising and interesting inhibitor. Akt is very important for cancer cells. Since we cancer treatment is getting specific almost gene specific a lot of different inhibitors will likely be used in combination. These specific inhibitors like Keryx has found out also produce less side effects. Since cancer is ever changing it is very good that companies are starting to revolutionize cancer treatment.

How did you find Keryx?

Thank you, Hedgehog, for your reply. I found Keryx by doing a manual screen of cancer trials being conducted by by NCI. Not many small pharmas have 3 phase 3 trials and still own full rights to the drugs. I particularly like the prospects for their maintenance dialysis drug. As for Curis, Rick Currin, who has an advisory service (currinresearch.com) brought it to my attention. I want to compliment you on your terrific board. Please keep in touch. I am a very serious investor in both companies and I need people like you who are knowledgeable in the cancer field. PS - I subcribe to currinresearch so if you would like me to mail you a copy of their report on Curis,please send me your address.

I'm just figuring out how to navigate your board. I recently posted a reply to your message, Hedgehog. Re Curis I have counted 13 ongoing trials, most of which are Stage 2. And many have collaborators other than Genetech and NCI. Very impressive.