Study shows additional role for abiraterone in blocking tumor growth in CRPC

As part of a European Union-supported IMI-PREDECT consortium ( http://www.predect.eu), a Dutch study showed that anti-androgenic properties of the drug abiraterone may provide an additional mechanism of action in blocking tumor growth of castration resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

Abiraterone was developed and is marketed US health care giant Johnson & Johnson’s (NYSE: JNJ) unit Janssen under the brand name Zytiga and last year generated sales of $961 million. It is vying for space in the global prostate cancer market, which is forecast to reach a value of $9.1 billion by 2021.

The study, which won the first prize for best abstract in oncology at the 28th European Association of Urology (EAU) Congress being held in Milan from March 15 to 19, demonstrated that, although the use of abiraterone can potentially lead to an accumulation of precursor hormones, its anti-androgenic properties may stop precursor hormone-induced androgen receptor (AR) activation, reports EurekAlert.