Oncology
Understanding and Fighting Cancer
Cancers are diseases where defects in the regulation of replication and cell death (or apoptosis) result in the uncontrolled proliferation of abnormal cells. Broadly speaking, there are two avenues to attacking cancer. The first is to directly disrupt replication and the second is to target growth and survival signaling pathways. Either approach can arrest the growth of the cancer and result in a cytotoxic response wherein the cancer cells are killed.
Targeting Kinases—Essential to Biological Pathways
Sunesis is engaged in designing and developing therapeutics that interfere with replication and survival signaling. Our drug discovery efforts are directed at kinases—a major class of potential targets in oncology as they play essential roles in many of the biological pathways that drive tumor survival and growth. Tethering, our proprietary discovery technology, is ideally suited for identifying highly selective inhibitors of protein kinases.
Compounds in Development
Three Sunesis compounds are in clinical development. SNS-595 causes cell-cycle arrest and apoptosis by interfering with the process of replication. We are exploring the activity of SNS-595 in ovarian cancers and in acute hematologic malignancies. SNS-032 is also a cell-cycle inhibitor, and in addition targets survival signals that sustain the cancer. SNS-032 is in clinical development for the treatment of B-cell hematologic malignancies. SNS-314 targets mitosis and triggers apoptosis. SNS-314 is in the initial stages of clinical study in patients with advanced solid tumors.
Collaboration Expands our Reach
Clinical development of oncology therapeutics is a concerted, multidisciplinary effort that leverages talent within Sunesis as well as our academic and industry collaborators. Translational research and clinical sciences collaborate to identify indications and rational combination strategies, and to identify relationships between dose, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, safety, and clinical outcome. This collaborative effort supports decision making and intelligent drug development to provide the greatest opportunity to benefit cancer patients with new treatment options.
Review some of our recent independent and collaborative presentations
