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Key Research on Cancer Stem Cells and Their Relevance and Impact on Drug and Diagnostic Discovery

Posted on: Thursday, 26 April 2007, 12:12 CDT

Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c55101) has announced the addition of "Cancer Stem Cells: Emerging Therapeutic, Diagnostic and Market Opportunities" to their offering.

The last decade has seen the emergence of a new paradigm in the therapeutic strategies which may be available to target cancer. This is based on the existence of so called Cancer Stem Cells (CSCs), found in small populations within the bulk of normal proliferating cancer cells, in tumours. Many scientists believe that CSCs are responsible for the development and spread of cancer and explain why the disease is resistant to many conventional treatments and able to re-establish itself after therapy. Many researchers believe the selective targeting of these cells offers revolutionary advances in the treatment of cancer, by attacking the disease at its source. The unique identity of CSCs and their proposed causal role in the development and progression of cancer potentially make these cells an ideal target for the detection of the disease. A number of CSC-targeting candidate drugs are now in early research, 2 of which have entered Phase I clinical trials.

Key findings

Research on CSCs is revealing a unified picture on the involvement of these cells in the development and progression of cancer and this has accelerated discovery programmes to selectively target these cells, alongside normal proliferating cancer cells

The targeting of CSCs is believed to offer revolutionary advances in cancer therapy and diagnosis

The CSC field is seeing substantial development, investment and new company formation, as specialised groups advance new discovery programmes

The targeting of CSCs presents several unique challenges, however a number of strategies have been proposed and are being explored.

It is believed that diagnostic methods based on the detection of CSC's will have the potential to address key limitations of current methods

The first CSC-targeting drug candidates have entered clinical development

Key Questions answered

Key research on CSCs and their relevance and impact on drug and diagnostic discovery

Global research groups working on CSCs (56 identified and reviewed) leading companies and commercial groups focused on CSC's (17 identified and profiled) and leading developments

The drug discovery pipeline, candidate molecules, stage of development, drug targets, drug discovery strategies, new discovery opportunities, challenges to drug discovery, the challenges of selectively targeting CSC's in the laboratory and in the clinic emerging market opportunities and developments including innovation, drug discovery, diagnostics and related areas

The identification and review of major patents (45) relating to CSCs, from 1999 (publication date) to 2007

Reasons to Order

This report provides a comprehensive overview of research on CSCs and the impact this is having on the development of new therapeutic and diagnostic strategies to target cancer. More than 50 academic research teams from 13 different countries have been reviewed, together with leading discoveries in this field. This is driving new research programmes and commercial developments. This report has identified and profiled 17 companies or commercially-focused groups, which now are targeting CSCs, to develop new therapies and diagnostics. The emerging picture on CSCs is creating significant excitement and interest in the cancer field and researchers have proposed a number of drug discovery strategies, which are also reviewed. Many scientists believe that the targeting of CSC's offers important and revolutionary advances in the targeting of cancer. This report gives the reader a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of developments in this exciting field.

Sample from Report:

"The enzyme Telomerase is a reverse transcriptase, which directs telomere synthesis by adding specific sequences of DNA to the end of chromosomes. This enzyme is believed to be pivotal to the immortality of certain kinds of cells. Telomerase activity is found in embryonic stem cells in sufficient levels to maintain telomere length, but shows low level or no activity in normal stem cells (Hiyama and Hiyama, Br J Cancer, 2007, 9;96, 1020-4). Telomerase activity is not found in normal somatic cells, but it is found in cancer cells, where it is able to maintain replicative immortality. Indeed, Telomerase is now regarded as an almost universal marker in cancer cells (Shay and Wright, Nature Reviews, Drug Discovery, 5(7), 577-584, 2006), making it an attractive therapeutic target for inhibition. Geron Corporation is now carrying out clinical trials of two different types of telomerase inhibitor, a vaccine (GRNVAC1) and a lipidated drug (GRN163L). Geron reports that GRN 163L kills CSCs and further results on clinical trials of this molecule are awaited with interest."

Areas covered:

Cancer Stem Cells

Global Research and Development

Drug Discovery

Diagnostics

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/reports/c55101

Source: Business Wire

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