Oklahoma Researchers Develop Effective Ovarian Cancer Treatment

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01/24/2024

HERE IN OKLAHOMA. ANDY WEBER WITH THE STORY. UHEALTH ANNOUNCING FRIDAY, THATRILLIONISK FEATURES AT THEIR STEVENSON CANCER CENTER ARE PLAYING A MAJOR ROLE IN MAKING A NEW, MORE EFFECTIVE TREATMENT AVAILABLE TO PATIENTS DEALING WITH REOCCURRING, SOMETIMES CHEMO RESISTANT OVARIAN CANCER. THE TEAM AT OU RECENTLY WRAPPED UP PHASE THREE TRIALS FOR THE DRUG MERV. PHASE THREE CLINICAL TRIALS ARE TRIALS THAT ARE DESIGNED REALLY TO PROVE THAT A NEW MEDICATION OR COMBINATION OF MEDICATIONS. IS BETTER THAN WHATEVER THE EXISTING WHAT WE CALL STANDARD OF CARE IS. DOCTOR KATHLEEN MOORE, WHO LED THESE PHASE THREE TRIALS, SAYS THEIR TRIALS FOUND THE DRUG IS READY TO BE GIVEN TO THOSE DEALING WITH LUNG CANCER BATTLES. THIS NEW DRUG, SHE SAYS, IS FAR MORE TARGETED, COMPARING IT TO AN ARROW OR A SMART BOMB. THEY EXPLOIT THAT THE PRESENCE OF A PROTEIN ON THE SURFACE OF A TUMOR CELL THAT IS EITHER ONLY ON THE TUMOR CELL, OR SO OVEREXPRESSED ON THE TUMOR CELL AS COMPARED TO NORMAL CELLS THAT THE DRUG HONES IN TO THE TUMOR CELL. THE IMPACT OF THE PATIENT, SHE SAYS, CAN BE SUBSTANTIAL. LENGTH OF TREATMENT MAY NOT CHANGE MUCH, BUT THE SIDE EFFECTS WILL DECREASE WHILE CHANCES OF BEING CURED COULD INCREASE AS FEWER SYMPTOMS, AND THEY CAN TOLERATE, YOU KNOW, MORE CYCLES OF CHEMO. SO IDEALLY WE’D GET THEM INTO A DEEPER AND MORE PROLONGED RESPONSE TO THERAPIES. WHILE THE DRUG HAS BEEN GIVEN APPROVAL TO ROLL OUT SOME IN THE U.S., IT’S STILL WAITING ON A FULL APPROVAL IN BOTH THE U.S. AND EUROPE. WHEN THE DRUG WILL BE FULLY APPROVED I

Oklahoma researchers develop effective ovarian cancer treatment

OU Health announced that researchers at the Stephenson Cancer Center are playing a major role in making a new treatment.

Updated: 10:19 AM CST Jan 20, 2024

Patients from around the world with reoccurring ovarian cancer will soon have access to more effective treatment, thanks to researchers in Oklahoma. OU Health announced Friday that researchers at the Stephenson Cancer Center are playing a major role in making a new, more effective treatment available to patients dealing with reoccurring – sometimes chemo-resistant – ovarian cancer. The team at OU Health recently wrapped up phase three trials for the drug, MIRV. >> Download the KOCO 5 App "Phase three clinical trials are trials that are designed really to prove that a new medication or combination of medications is better than whatever the existing. What we call standard of care is," said Kathleen Moore, the associate director of clinical research. Moore led phase three trials and found that the drug is ready to be given to those dealing with long cancer battles. This new drug is far more targeted, Moore said. "They exploit the presence of a protein on the surface of a tumor cell that is either only on the tumor cell or so overly expressed on the tumor cell that the drug hones in to the tumor cell," Moore said. The impact on the patient can be substantial. The length of treatment may not change much, but the side effects will decrease while chances of being cured could increase. "Fewer symptoms, and they can tolerate more cycles of chemo, so, ideally, we can get them into a more prolonged response to therapy," Moore said. Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here. While the drug has been given approval to roll out some in the United States, it is still waiting on full approval in the states and Europe. When the drug will be fully approved is hard to predict with all the steps involved to issue a full approval. Top Headlines 'Passed before I could do anything': Oklahoman who stopped at double-fatal crash to help knew victim How to create a personalized Stanley tumbler for Valentine's Day Police: Father shoots son in leg after altercation in Oklahoma City Oklahoma man arrested after leaving scene of crash that killed 16-year-old daughter in Bixby Homeowner says Edmond earthquakes are to blame for house fire

Patients from around the world with reoccurring ovarian cancer will soon have access to more effective treatment, thanks to researchers in Oklahoma.

OU Health announced Friday that researchers at the Stephenson Cancer Center are playing a major role in making a new, more effective treatment available to patients dealing with reoccurring – sometimes chemo-resistant – ovarian cancer. The team at OU Health recently wrapped up phase three trials for the drug, MIRV.

>> Download the KOCO 5 App

"Phase three clinical trials are trials that are designed really to prove that a new medication or combination of medications is better than whatever the existing. What we call standard of care is," said Kathleen Moore, the associate director of clinical research.

Moore led phase three trials and found that the drug is ready to be given to those dealing with long cancer battles. This new drug is far more targeted, Moore said.

"They exploit the presence of a protein on the surface of a tumor cell that is either only on the tumor cell or so overly expressed on the tumor cell that the drug hones in to the tumor cell," Moore said.

The impact on the patient can be substantial. The length of treatment may not change much, but the side effects will decrease while chances of being cured could increase.

"Fewer symptoms, and they can tolerate more cycles of chemo, so, ideally, we can get them into a more prolonged response to therapy," Moore said.

Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.

While the drug has been given approval to roll out some in the United States, it is still waiting on full approval in the states and Europe. When the drug will be fully approved is hard to predict with all the steps involved to issue a full approval.


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