According to Research presented at the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) Cancer Conference in Liverpool , researchers have found a possible way to halt Kras fault in many types of cancer, which earns a reputation in scientific circles as being ‘undruggable’.

A team of scientists from Germany has discovered a new strategy and new potential drug to target the important Ras protein in cell signalling, which is faulty in many types of cancer.  It can cause too many signals to be produced –leading to cancer, when lying in faulty versions. The researchers have shown that instead of directly targeting the faulty protein itself, they can stop it moving to the surface of the cell by blocking another protein which transports Ras — preventing it from triggering cancer in the first place.

Previously, Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI) researchers at the University of California, had identified and exploited a Achilles heel” in K-Ras. The weak point is a newly discovered ‘pocket’ or binding site. They have designed a chemical compound that fits inside this pocket and inhibits the normal activity of mutant K-Ras, but leaves the normal protein untouched. The findings, published in the journal Nature, are promising to end the lasting 30-year history of ‘undruggable’ Kras.

A researcher, attending NCRI Cancer Conference, said: “We’ve been scratching our heads for decades to find a solution to one of the oldest conundrums in cancer research. And we’re excited to discover that it’s actually possible to completely bypass this cancer-causing protein rather than attack it directly.

Another researcher said, “The new approach can target one of the most common faults in cancer, which could give rise to another option of disease treatment. The research is still at a very early stage and it will be years before it can benefit patients but it is a key step forward in the field.”

Reference:

Small molecule inhibition of the KRAS–PDEδ interaction impairs oncogenic KRAS signalling. Nature 497, 638–642