New approach to targeted cancer therapy
Taking a closer look at these enzymes, Chk1 and MK2 are protein kinases. In the last 10 years, this particular enzyme group has increasingly come to the attention of the big pharmaceutical companies. Enzymes can potentially be inhibited and therefore provide options for developing new therapeutic agents. The combined pharmacological inhibition of Chk1 and MK2 is a therapeutic strategy that could be used specifically for treating KRAS-mutated cancers. “Chk1/MK2 inhibition works specifically in KRAS-mutant cancer cells. Normal tissue isn’t really affected, because healthy cells don’t contain KRAS genes that have undergone mutation,” explains Dr. Felix Dietlein, lead author of the publication, when describing the therapeutic concept.
Prof. Michael Hallek, Head of the Department of Internal Medicine I at the University of Cologne, finds the new therapeutic approach very promising. “MK2 is a protein kinase that has been investigated in depth for some time, as its function seems to have a role in the development of rheumatoid disease. The protein kinase Chk1 has also been closely scrutinized in recent years, and the first clinical trials of various Chk1 inhibitors are now underway. These fascinating findings may provide treating physicians with an effective new tool for treating KRAS-mutant cancers in the near future,” he confirms.
Even though they have been the subject of research and development as medicinal products for some time, none of the MK2 inhibitors has yet obtained regulatory approval. Work on this project was generously sponsored by the German Research Foundation (DFG), German Cancer Aid, and the Volkswagen Foundation.
For CECAD and the University Hospital Cologne, the development of this new therapeutic approach represents a significant and promising opportunity: additional treatment options for the fight against cancer in the near future – an important aspect of aging research at the Cluster of Excellence.
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