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Why is cancer drug discovery so difficult?

Alexander Kamb1, Susan Wee, Christoph Lengauer

  • 1Amgen, 1120 Veterans Boulevard, South San Francisco, California 94010, USA.

Nature Reviews. Drug Discovery
|December 13, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Discovering new anticancer drugs remains difficult due to factors like tumor heterogeneity. This study suggests strategies to improve the success rate of novel anticancer drug development.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Drug Discovery
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • The 'war on cancer' initiative, launched 35 years ago, has faced persistent challenges in developing effective anticancer drugs.
  • Tumor heterogeneity presents a significant obstacle in achieving successful therapeutic outcomes.
  • Current drug development pipelines struggle with high attrition rates and limited clinical success.

Approach:

  • This work analyzes the multifaceted factors contributing to the difficulties in anticancer drug discovery.
  • It proposes actionable strategies aimed at enhancing the efficiency and success of developing novel cancer therapeutics.
  • Focus is placed on identifying and implementing approaches for short-term gains in drug development.

Key Points:

  • Tumor heterogeneity, characterized by variations within cancer cells, complicates targeted drug development.
  • Strategies discussed include leveraging advanced diagnostics, personalized medicine approaches, and innovative preclinical models.
  • Addressing the complexities of tumor microenvironment and immune evasion is crucial for therapeutic success.

Conclusions:

  • Despite decades of research, the discovery of novel anticancer drugs requires a re-evaluation of existing strategies.
  • Implementing targeted approaches that account for tumor heterogeneity can significantly improve drug development outcomes.
  • A focused effort on strategic improvements offers a viable path toward accelerating the delivery of effective cancer treatments.

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