Predictive Oncology leveraged its AI-driven drug discovery platform and biobank of live-cell tumor samples to identify new potential uses for existing cancer drugs. This research focused on repurposing abandoned oncology drugs, yielding promising results for ovarian and colon cancer treatments. The company used active machine learning to analyze responses in a curated set of drugs and patient-derived cells, accelerating the typical drug discovery timeline.
This breakthrough is important because it demonstrates a faster, more cost-effective method of bringing potential cancer treatments to market. Repurposing existing drugs significantly reduces development time and cost compared to developing entirely new drugs. The ability to identify effective drug candidates for specific tumor types through this approach offers a new avenue for personalized medicine. This provides hope for patients with cancers that currently have limited treatment options, such as ovarian and colon cancers.
Predictive Oncology identified three drugs—Afuresertib, Alisertib, and Entinostat—with promising results in ovarian and colon tumor models. Alisertib and Entinostat even outperformed standard care drugs like Oxaliplatin (for colon cancer) and Ribociclib (for breast cancer) in these tests. While these three drugs were originally developed for other cancers, this research suggests their potential efficacy against new targets. The company’s method, combining AI-powered screening with its biobank, successfully identified these candidates within 12 weeks, a significantly shorter timeframe than traditional drug discovery. This approach also allows for the examination of patient response heterogeneity, potentially leading to more targeted therapies.
This research positions Predictive Oncology for potential partnerships with pharmaceutical companies looking to repurpose their own abandoned drug candidates. The rapid and efficient screening process demonstrated by the company offers a compelling alternative to traditional drug development pipelines. This success could lead to a new wave of cancer therapies derived from existing drugs, bringing faster and more affordable treatments to patients and potentially revitalizing the pipelines of pharmaceutical companies.
Jon Napitupulu is Director of Media Relations at The Clinical Trial Vanguard. Jon, a computer data scientist, focuses on the latest clinical trial industry news and trends.
