Clapper, Patti, Schweizer and Mason

A phase III clinical trial investigating Onconase as a treatment for mesothelioma was recently completed. Two other studies, in phase I and phase II, using Onconase for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are ongoing.  Mesothelioma is a rare form of NSCLC caused by exposure to asbestos that most often begins in the lining of the lungs (pleural mesothelioma) but can also affect the lining of the heart (pericardial) or the abdomen (peritoneum).    

In the phase III trial, patients diagnosed with malignant pleural mesothelioma were selected with the hope that Onconase would create antitumor activity, slowing the progression of the cancer.  Clinical performance of Onconase was promising for both epithelial and biphasic mesothelioma tumors. 

The study was funded in part by the Genomics Facility at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia as well as a gift from the Local No. 14 Mesothelioma Fund of the International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators & Allied Workers.  

Onconase, also referred to as ranpirnase, is a protein derived from Rana Pipiens frog eggs.   The Phase III study shoes that Onconase works as a RNA-damaging drug that interferes with gene regulation in ways that inhibit cancer cell growth and proliferation as well as triggering tumor cell apoptosis (cell death.)  In simple terms, this means that Onconase creates an activity in the gene pathways that make it hard for mesothelioma tumors to grow and multiply which slows down the progression of the disease and helps with symptom relief.

In addition to the anti-tumor activity, Onconase also proved to work well with other common anti-cancer drugs.  This was of utmost importance as many mesothelioma treatments now take a multi-modal approach, combining different therapies as well as drug interventions.   When using a combination of drugs, it’s important that there is synergy – that they work well together to combat the cancer. 

If you have been diagnosed with mesothelioma or non-small cell lung cancer, speak to your oncologist about participating in a clinical trial using Onconase.  For the full report on the clinical trial discussed here, visit http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2407/10/34.  Although still a relatively novel drug, initial results show promise, especially in patients who failed front line chemotherapy or radiation treatments.