Oncology Programs at Sunesis
Fighting Cancer by Understanding its Biology
Cancer research encompasses a broad spectrum of diseases and associated therapeutic strategies. Sunesis is discovering and developing molecules that block the unregulated growth of cancer cells by inhibiting mechanisms that are essential for the cells' survival. We are focusing on two general classes of mechanisms: cell cycle regulation and growth and survival signaling.
Disrupting Cancer Cell Proliferation
One of the hallmarks of cancer cells is their ability to rapidly reproduce themselves by a process known as the cell cycle. Proliferating cells normally pass through multiple checkpoints where the cell can stop to repair any mistakes that have been made to ensure that the overall process of cell division works smoothly. Inability to make repairs causes normal cells to trigger a systematic process of cell death known as apoptosis. Apoptosis is a final safeguard that ensures that only competent cells progress through full division. Our candidate drugs SNS-595,SNS-032 and SNS-314 disrupt different stages of the cell cycle and cause rapidly dividing cells (particularly tumor cells) to undergo apoptosis.
Blocking Cancer Cells' Defenses
Cancer cells often defend themselves against apoptosis by amplifying certain growth signals or protective factors. Agents that are able to block these defense mechanisms offer significant potential in treating specific diseases. SNS-032, in addition to having activity in the cell cycle, also prevents cancers from making protective factors that are essential for their survival. The Raf inhibitor, currently being advanced in collaboration with Biogen Idec, blocks a growth signaling mechanism that is essential for the survival of many melanoma tumors.
Collaboration Extends our Knowledge
We combine our internal scientific expertise in cellular biology and pharmacology with collaborations with scientists at major academic institutions and in industry to gain a thorough understanding of the mechanisms of action of our drugs and the biologic mechanisms of the diseases we target. By leveraging our strong scientific capabilities, we are developing novel therapeutics to treat patients with life-threatening diseases.
Candidate Drugs in Clinical Testing
The three clinical-stage programs being developed by Sunesis are SNS-595, SNS-032 and SNS-314.
