Many of you seek “The Magic Bullet”; you are in pursuit of the “Holy Grail” that brings ‘cure’. While you hear us say there is no cure to advanced prostate cancer, medical innovations come along from time-to-time that do alter clinical practice and do change disease management. They can give legs to progression free survival and even overall survival! I think of drugs like the second line anti-androgen abiraterone acetate (Zytiga) with its totally innovative means of action that changed clinical practice. Back in 2008 when I first heard of this drug that stopped the cancer cells from making their own food (testosterone), I thought it was science fiction – who knew the cancer even made its own T. And currently the radionuclide protocol Lutetium 177 PSMA acts more like a guided missile than a medical treatment.
So when the FDA fast tracked a new PCa drug last week that was barely in Phase 1 clinical trial development, it caught the attention of both Len and myself. This drug, ARV-110 made by Arvinas, addresses androgen receptors in a totally innovative way – it out and out destroys them. You can read more on the biotech’s site or in this Onc Live article. The question I am most frequently asked is what is new and innovative in the field ……. while I am not saying this is the ‘Magic Bullet’, it could be a game changer! Btw, you can hear Len explain ARV-110 on last Tuesday’s virtual group recording.