Researchers at Roswell Park Cancer Institute have been awarded three of four grants by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Oncology Research Program to evaluate and define the clinical effectiveness of the investigational compound nintedanib. Nintedanib is an investigational orally-administered triple angiokinase inhibitor that targets three of the receptor tyrosine kinases shown to aid in the regulation of angiogenesis: fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR), platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR), and vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR). It is investigational and has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. These grants were made possible through general research funding provided to NCCN from Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Awards Provide More Than $1 Million to Conduct Studies
The three researchers from Roswell Park, Alex Adjei, MD, PhD, FACP, Patrick Boland, MD, and Renuka Iyer, MD, will collectively receive more than $1.3 million to conduct studies of the agent’s effectiveness in treating non-small cell lung cancer, metastatic colorectal cancer, and gastrointestinal carcinoid tumors, respectively.
Angiogenesis, or the formation of new blood vessels, is also involved in the growth of cancerous tumors by supplying nutrients and oxygen—often referred to as tumor angiogenesis.1 All three receptors, FGFR, PDGFR, and VEGFR. are associated with tumor angiogenesis, and their blockade may lead to the inhibition of tumor growth and spread.2
Funded Concepts Based on Select Criteria
The awardees responded to a request for proposals issued by the NCCN Oncology Research Program to the 25 NCCN Member Institutions. Submissions were peer-reviewed by the NCCN Nintedanib Scientific Review Committee. The funded concepts were selected based on several criteria, including scientific merit, existing data, and the types of studies necessary to further evaluate the efficacy of nintedanib.
The NCCN Oncology Research Program draws on the expertise of investigators at NCCN Member Institutions and the NCCN Affiliate Research Consortium to facilitate all phases of clinical research.
Collaborative Efforts
This research is made possible by collaborations with pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in order to advance therapeutic options for patients with cancer. To date, this successful research model has received approximately $49.5 million in research grants and supported 113 studies that have produced a number of publications in peer-reviewed journals. For more information about the NCCN Oncology Research Program and ongoing clinical trials, visit NCCN.org/ORP. ■
