Gastrointestinal carcinoid patients who have tumors that either are not suitable for standard treatment or are not responding to standard treatment have the opportunity to enroll in a Phase I/II clinical trial conducted by Tekmira Pharmaceuticals (Tekmira changed its name to Arbutus Biopharma in 2015). Enrollment is expected to complete by September 30. Centers in Arizona, Florida, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, and Texas are participating in the study.
The study drug contains a type of man-made molecule related to DNA called siRNA (small interfering RNA). This siRNA is designed to reduce the levels of a protein called PLK1 inside tumor cells. Because the PLK1 protein is present at high levels in dividing cancer cells it is expected that by reducing PLK1 the study drug may be able to slow down or stop the cancer cells from multiplying.
Polo-like kinase 1
PLK1
Participants in the study will undergo 6 cycles of investigational treatment, which are each one month long. A radiological assessment of participants’ tumors will take place at the end of the second month to determine if the cancer is stable, responding to treatment, or growing.
The participating centers are:
Scottsdale Healthcare, Scottsdale, Arizona
Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota
University of Iowa, Holden Cancer Center, Iowa
Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida
University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, Michigan
Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts
Westchase Oncology Center, Houston, Texas
For more information about the study, click here: http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01262235?term=Tekmira&rank=1 .
To learn more about Arbutus Biopharma, visit http://www.arbutusbio.com/.
