Grant: Operating Grant

Our group has developed a new molecule, AC-3-19, that shows significant promise in the lab and in animal models of leukemia. It works by binding to STAT5 protein in cancer cells and switching it off. Significantly, healthy cells do not suffer side effects, meaning the molecule has the potential to become a gentler, more targeted chemotherapy drug. When STAT5 is working normally, it is switched on for a few minutes, helps cells grow, and then switches off. However, in leukemia it doesn't switch off and goes on to promote tumour growth. STAT5 also promotes resistance to anti-cancer drugs that are deployed to treat the disease. So far, no drug has been developed to directly target STAT5-it was always believed to be an impossible task. In this proposal, we will test in living systems, which means the molecule must be able to penetrate cell membranes, be the right size to pass through the small intestine, and not be metabolized by the body. The proposed research could lead to advanced preclinical trials for his molecule or one of its analogues, and a new hope in the battle against cancer.