Race Oncology Executive Chairman Dr. Pete Smith talked with Proactive about the company’s major breakthrough in identifying the primary anti-cancer mechanism of action for its lead drug candidate, bisantrene.
Dr. Smith explained that while bisantrene was originally developed in the 1970s and 1980s, modern tools now allow researchers to better understand its unique mechanism. Unlike traditional chemotherapy drugs, bisantrene does not cause common side effects such as hair loss or cardiovascular toxicity. Instead, the company has shown that the drug targets the MYC protein, which is upregulated in about 70% of cancers.
“This really is transformative from that point of view, both in terms of our understanding, but also how the drug will be perceived by potential partners,” said Smith. He highlighted that MYC has long been considered a “non-druggable” target, with researchers attempting to develop therapies against it for decades due to its critical role in driving multiple cancer types.
With this new understanding, Race Oncology is now able to use existing biological knowledge to guide clinical development and drug combinations, moving beyond what Smith described as “shots in the dark.” Upcoming results will be shared at the European Society of Medical Oncology conference in Germany and at a shareholder webinar on October 8.
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