Cancer Medicines Discovery II

A team in Leeds is designing small-molecule drugs that either activate a tumour-killing enzyme or block a protein that helps cancer cells spread. This matters because many cancers become resistant to existing treatments or spread to other parts of the body, where they become much harder to treat. The researchers are targeting two specific biological mechanisms. The first uses enzymes called cytochromes P450, which are more active inside tumours than in healthy tissue, to selectively activate a toxic drug only in cancer cells. The second targets polysialyltransferases, enzymes that help tumour cells migrate and grow. If the programme succeeds, it will produce preclinical proof-of-concept drugs ready for further development and eventual clinical trials. This could lead to new treatment options for patients whose cancers have limited therapies, particularly those with aggressive or metastatic disease. The work builds on earlier milestones in target identification and druggability, and the group has a track record of moving discoveries from the lab into human trials.