Kontakt 2008, 10(2):442-448 | DOI: 10.32725/kont.2008.065

New generation of anti-cancer medicinesHealth and Social Sciences

Petr Hanák

Výzkumný ústav potravinářský Praha, v. v. i.

New anti-cancer medicines take advantage of knowledge of molecular mechanisms of malignities for aimed intervention suppressing the pathological process. The targets of the intervention are on the one hand receptors of growth factors, their ligands and molecules from connected signal paths and, on the other hand, deacetylases of histones and further molecules of the transcription apparatus. The first group comprises antibodies against receptors and mainly "small molecules" inhibiting their function. In contrast, inhibitors of histone deacetylases are a chemically heterogeneous group of substances providing the transcription of genes of different molecules exerting anti-oncogenic action by maintaining a high level of the acetylation of target molecules. A number of substances from both groups successfully passed preclinical or also clinical tests and certain products, particularly antibodies, already principally affected the treatment of particular malignities. The purpose of the present article is to offer a review of at least most important substances from these recently occurring groups of anti-cancer medicines. A general mechanism of effects, achieved level of preclinical and clinical testing, chemistry and possibly particular molecular interactions in the malignant cells are described with each group.

Keywords: therapeutic antibodies; small inhibitor molecules; inhibitors of histone deacetylases; anti-cancer medicines; review

Received: September 2, 2008; Accepted: October 20, 2008; Prepublished online: December 17, 2008; Published: December 17, 2009  Show citation