2009 UALC
Lee Krug, MD
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
Research Project:
Exploring the activity of Hsp90 inhibitors in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of small cell lung cancer: Preliminary and phase I studies
Summary:
Dr. Krug is investigating a new potential treatment for small cell lung cancer (SCLC), targeting heat-shock proteins. In collaboration with industry, he is testing Hsp90 inhibitors in preclinical studies, with the goal of performing a future clinical trial.
More Content:
Final Report
One of the Hsp90 inhibitors showed promising growth inhibition qualities in vitro, but was not efficacious in the preclinical models of SCLC and was not well tolerated at the chosen regimens. Due to negative results, human trials were not pursued. While the company supplying the compound was disappointed with the outcome of the studies, they were pleased with Dr. Krug’s team’s experimental techniques and enthusiastic for them to test their hedgehog inhibitor. Using his new inhibitor, Dr. Krug’s team will follow the same experimental plan. They have collected some promising preliminary data, and additional studies assessing the effects with chemotherapy are planned. Most importantly, the work has led to a new phase I clinical trial testing a first-line therapy in SCLC.
Notable Accomplishments
Through this project, Dr. Krug have solidified the collaboration with Dr. De Stanchina, who has conducted the preclinical studies, and also formed a stronger collaboration with Johns Hopkins, which will be a valuable resource moving forward.