Drugs discovery extends lifetimes for skin cancer patients

Study reveals drugs that can extend the lives of patients with skin cancer

A new study has reportedly shown that cobimetinib and vemurafenib improved patients’ life expectancies compared with existing approaches – previously those with the condition had a life expectancy of less than a year but under the treatment some were extended to 22 months.

The coBRIM study conducted trials on people in Scotland with deadly forms of melanoma and was led by James Larkin, a consultant medical oncologist at The Royal Marsden hospital.

Jeff Evans, director of Cancer Sciences at the University of Glasgow carried out the trials at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre.

495 patients took part in the tests and while the patients taking only vemurafenib lived for an average of 17.4 months, those taking the two drugs together survived for 22.3 months.

According to a report in The Scotsman Dr Larkin, the lead investigator of the study, said the results were “very encouraging” and gave hope to those with advanced melanoma.

Larkin said: “Cobimetinib and vemurafenib have complementary ways of working together to block the cancer cell survival pathway, significantly extending life and could reduce or delay resistance. This is a very encouraging development.”

Cobimetinib works together with vemurafenib to target and block two parts of an important pathway involved in cancer cell growth and survival, a chain of proteins known as MAPK. The process can be likened to a canal system, with the treatment acting as floodgates according to The Scotsman.

The research shows that although vemurafenib blocks the so-called “survive and multiply” signals being sent into the cell, resistance means that the floodgate can “burst”.

Taken in conjunction with cobimetinib, however, it creates what scientists described as “a more powerful floodgate system”, “reinforcing the blockade”, which leads to inhibited cell growth.

However The Scotsman said it could be some time before the drugs are routinely administered as Cobimetinib is an investigational medicine not currently available for use anywhere in the UK, while vemurafenib is accepted for restricted use within NHS Scotland but not in combination with other drugs.