One of the benefits with working with a large group of urologists is the ability to support clinical trials. These trials are funded by the pharmaceutical and medical device companies as well as academic centers. For example, we can offer patients cutting-edge treatments in prostate cancer that can save them from making long trips to unfamiliar places at a time when they may be most vulnerable.
One trial right now is with
Protox Therapeutics. They are currently conducting a Phase I clinical trial for patients with local recurrent prostate cancer using PRX302.
What is that and who is it for?
PRX302 is like a smart bomb for prostate cancer. The drug enters the body in a nonactivated form. Prostate cancer cells release PSA, which can cleave a protein off the drug and activate it into its cancer-killer state. The drug binds to the nearby prostate cancer cell and drills a hole into it, causing the cell to die.
This is very exciting because it can potentially minimize toxicities that are associated with the "shotgun" approach associated with chemotherapy, hormones and radiation. Only prostate cells are targeted. Also, the cancer is treated whether it is a slower growing cancer or a rapidly growing one, which is a potential drawback when treating with radiation or chemo. These treatments work better on faster growing tumors, and prostate cancer is often a relatively slower growing one.
This trial is for localized recurrent prostate cancer. For example, a patient who underwent radioactive seed placement and now has a rising PSA would have to undergo biopsies to verify cancer is present. Also, we would need to make sure the cancer has not spread elsewhere in the body.
The patient will then be injected with PRX302 into the prostate gland under ultrasound guidance. Changes in PSA levels will be measured and prostate biopsies performed after 30 days.
Early reports and animal studies have been very promising.
