Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Astellas in three-year collaboration on small molecule inhibitors

Boston-based Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Japanese drug major Astellas Pharma (TYO: 4503) have entered into a three-year R&D collaboration for small molecule inhibitors of oncogenic K-Ras for the treatment of cancer.

K-Ras is the most commonly mutated oncogene in human cancers, with about 30% of all cancers harboring activating rasmutations. The cancers with this type of mutation are difficult to treat and clinical outcomes are poor even with aggressive medical interventions. No effective therapy currently exists.

Nathanael Gray of the cancer biology department at Dana-Farber and professor at Harvard Medical School will lead the research. He said: "Our work opens up a new approach to developing K-Ras inhibitors. We are excited to work with a top-tier pharmaceutical company committed to innovative oncology research on this collaboration, and to develop novel inhibitors to this molecular target that have thus far been inaccessible.”