Grant: Project Grant

Prostate cancer is the most important cancer in men. Recurrence is a major problem that kills over 4000 Canadian men per year. While anti-androgen therapies extend life, prostate cancer cells adapt and become resistant. Novel, non-androgen targeted therapies are urgently needed. In this context we discovered that PACE4 play an important role in prostate cancer progression in an androgen-independent manner. Then we developed compound C23, a PACE4 inhibitor, that significantly reduces tumor progression in animal models that harbor human prostate cancer tumors. Our objective is to bring this compound to clinical trials. However, several steps need to be taken first. First and foremost, we must modify this compound into a form that has the best chance of being clinically relevant, in regards to its delivery and patient usage. To do this we will combine medicinal chemistry and targeting strategies with testing in prostate cancer animal models. Additionally, we will devise a precision medicine approach to select the patients that can benefit the most from C23 therapy. We will explore if existing drug therapies can be combined with C23, to develop the most effective treatment possible. A better understanding of these parameters will maximize a therapeutic response that can be better transferred into a clinic setting.