Improving Anti-cancer Therapy By Stromal Targeting And Remodelling
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$673,742.00
Summary
We have developed a new drug which binds to abnormal cancer blood vessels. Upon binding, shape and tone of cancer vessels are restored and they become tighter. Our research will now test whether combining this new drug with current standard-of-care therapies such as chemo- and immunotherapy, will improve cytotoxic drugs and also make the immune system work better to fight the cancer. We also expect that tightening of blood vessels will stop cancer cells from spreading throughout the body.
Mechanism Of Action And Targeting Of Hexokinase II In Glioblastoma
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$643,607.00
Summary
Deaths from the brain cancer, glioblastoma, are as common as from the skin cancer in Australia. For most patients diagnosed with glioblastoma there is no realistic possibility of cure or even survival beyond a few years. We propose to understand and target glioblastomas aberrant metabolism of glucose, which may lead to better treatments for this devastating cancer.
Small Molecule Inhibitors To Reprogram The Tumour Environment And Improve Immunotherapy
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$784,520.00
Summary
Cancer blood vessels are different to normal blood vessels; they help cancer cells to spread and stop immune cells in their tracks. We have identified drugs which help to make cancer blood vessels more normal and also bring immune cells into the cancer core. We will test these drugs in combination with immunotherapies, a new treatment option which has not reached its full potential in the clinic. Since our drug candidates are already in clinical use, we expect to fast track clinical development.
A Novel Strategy For Targeting Castrate-resistant Prostate Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$799,440.00
Summary
Modern drugs for advanced prostate cancer are based on starving the tumour of hormones. However, tumours either escape this treatment or are inherently resistant to it. We have developed a new approach with drugs that block protein synthesis. This deprives tumours of the building blocks to make new cancer cells. In this project, we will determine the effectiveness of this new treatment on samples of patient prostate cancer tissue that have failed currently available drugs.
Profiling Circulating DNA And RNA To Identify Mechanisms Of Therapeutic Resistance And Response In Metastatic Castration-resistant Prostate Cancer
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$482,590.00
Summary
Enzalutamide is a powerful hormone treatment that improves survival for men with advanced prostate cancer. Unfortunately, all prostate cancers eventually become resistant to enzalutamide and not all men initially respond to treatment. I will look for blood markers that predict which men benefit from enzalutamide treatment and try to understand how resistance to enzalutamide occurs. This may lead to more effective use of enzalutamide resulting in better outcomes in advanced prostate cancer.