Therapeutic Development Program Summary

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The Therapeutic Development Program (TDP) was created from the former Pharmacology Program and the Clinical Trials Program. The new program has been revised to focus on molecular targeting and therapeutic individualization of new chemical entities to treat cancer. The 23 TDP members come from both clinical and basic science departments and include a number of well-funded medicinal chemists from the University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ) and Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ). The goal of the TDP is to foster research relationships that directly contribute to the development and clinical testing of agents that target specific molecular defects in the tumors of individual cancer patients. To accomplish this goal, the TDP uses two working sections: 1) the basic science group, led by Robert Dorr, Ph.D., working on new target identification and new agent discovery; and 2) the clinical science group, led by Charles Taylor, M.D., working on target validation and drug evaluation in individual patients. Program laboratories are evaluating over 12 unique molecular targets.  Clinician cooperation has been greatly facilitated by the receipt of two large translational program project grants geared to identifying and testing unique molecular targets. Two agents developed at the AZCC have been advanced into Phase I clinical trials: (1) the thioredoxin inhibitor, PX-12, and (2) the cyanoaziridine, imexon. Both trials include pharmacodynamic endpoints, namely thioredoxin expression in tumor cells, and glutathione levels, respectively.  The TDP has extensive collaboration with the Cancer Imaging and Technology Program for clinical trials of new agents, with the Cancer Prevention and Control Program and the GI Cancer Program for pharmacology of colon cancer preventive agents, and with the Cancer Metastasis and Signaling Program for target discovery and mechanistic validation. A unique feature of the TDP is its comprehensive drug development process, including compound discovery, synthesis, mechanism identification, animal testing and initial clinical trial evaluation. The TDP sponsors a weekly investigator meeting, a yearly statewide drug development seminar, and several workshops and outside speaker programs throughout the year. Peer-reviewed NIH funding of program members is excellent and currently exceeds $8 million in direct costs/year.

For more information, please contact:
 
Robert Dorr, Ph.D., R.Ph.,
Program Director
(520) 626-7892 
Fax: (520) 626-2751
e-mail: bdorr@azcc.arizona.edu 

 

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