New Class of Anti-Cancer Agents Tested

A team of La Jolla scientists says it has designed and synthesized a new class of anti-cancer compounds that appear more potent than other chemotherapies, according to a study released today.

The molecules, called synthetic enediynes, demonstrated a remarkable ability in laboratory experiments to target and destroy cancer cells without harming healthy cells, said K.C. Nicolaou, the lead author of the study and chairman of the chemistry department at the Scripps Research Institute.

“Provided their selectivity against tumor cells versus normal cells can be maintained and enhanced in animal models and humans, these molecules may emerge as powerful drugs against cancer,” the scientists wrote in today’s issue of Science.

Nicolaou cautioned that further fine-tuning will be necessary before the compounds can be tested in patients, which he and other scientists predict will occur within two years.

The molecules work by creating highly reactive chemicals called radicals that glom onto the cancer cell’s DNA, or the cell’s genetic headquarters. After they attach themselves, they break the DNA into pieces, stopping the cell from replicating and leading to tumor regression, said Nicolaou, who is also a UC San Diego professor of chemistry.