In a groundbreaking development for cancer treatment, scientists at City of Hope Hospital in Los Angeles have created a revolutionary drug, AOH1996, that destroys solid tumours without harming healthy cells. The drug targets the protein proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), previously deemed “undruggable,” and has shown effectiveness against 70 different cancer cell lines, including breast, prostate, brain, and lung cancers.
AOH1996, named after Anna Olivia Healy, a young girl who died from childhood cancer, is currently in Phase 1 clinical trials to assess its safety and efficacy in humans. Dr. Linda Malkas, leading the research, explained that the drug selectively targets the altered form of PCNA in cancer cells, stopping tumour growth without damaging healthy cells. She compared the drug’s action to a snowstorm halting only cancer-carrying flights at an airport.
Co-researcher Dr. Long Gu noted that PCNA was long thought impossible to target, but City of Hope’s success opens new doors for personalized cancer treatments. Next steps will explore the drug’s mechanism further and its use in combination therapies.
