The VEGF project - Targeting VEGF function; Inhibition of Tumor Growth and Spread by Blocking Tumor Angiogenesis
Indication: Cancer
Target mechanism: VEGF
Founding researcher: Professor Yihai Cao
Background
The development of blood vessel supply, angiogenesis, is essential for a solid tumour to grow beyond 2-3 mm3. Blood vessel density in tumours also correlates with survival, the higher density the worse prognosis. Although other angiogenic factors have been identified, VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor), is the most potent and specific, with a well-defined role in normal and pathologic angiogenesis. VEGF also induces significant vascular permeability, promoting formation of a hyper-permeable, immature vascular network characteristic of pathological angiogenesis and its expression is substantially increased in a majority of human tumours. The approach for the project is to find novel inhibitors to block angiogenesis in tumours and in other angiogenesis dependent therapeutic areas.
The VEGF project was initiated at Actar in 2005 in collaboration with the founding researcher Professor Yihai Cao. Professor Cao started his career in China and obtained a M.D degree in 1983. After several years at the Institute of Hematology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in China Dr Cao went for a post-MD at the laboratory of Molecular Biology, Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, in Switzerland. After PhD studies at the Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research at Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden and a research fellow in Boston, USA, at the Harvard Medical School, Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Vascular biology (in Dr Folkmans laboratory), Dr Cao returned in 1996 to Sweden and the department of Microbiology and Tumor Biology Center at Karolinska Institute, where he became Professor in 2004.
Current status
Today, in the VEGF-project more than 7000 substances have been screened at Actar and three promising scaffolds have been found. We have taken two compounds from one scaffold further with good results both In Vitro and In Vivo. The VEGF project has resulted in a spin-off company, Clanotech AB. For additional information please see http://karolinskadevelopment.com/clanotech.html. Project management and further development is done by Actar AB on a contract basis.