Albert Einstein Cancer Center

Program Leader: Susan Horwitz
Co-Program Leader: Roman Perez-Soler

The goal of the Experimental Therapeutics program is to develop new cancer therapeutic modalities, to better understand the mechanisms and determinants of the activities of existing therapies, and to bring together laboratory and clinical scientists to focus on the treatment of specific malignant diseases. This program is a resource for drug and radio-pharmaceutical development to potential targets identified in basic studies in this and other AECC programs. There is a broad spectrum of research. (1) Drug development emphasizes structural analyses for the design of pMolar transition-state inhibitors. Fodosine, targeted to purine nucleoside phosphorylase, is in advanced Phase IIb trials for the treatment of T-cell leukemia and lymphoma. Agents targeted to methylthioadenosine phosphorylase (MTAP) to inhibit polyamine synthesis and purine salvage, are being evaluated preclinically. There are other studies on the development of antisense agents. (2) Another focus is on the combinatorial chemistry and molecular probes of antineoplastics encompassing new-generation microtubule inhibitors and a new-generation antifolate, pemetrexed. (3) A new element is studies on the mechanism of action and toxicity of EGF inhibitors. (4) This program provides radiochemistry support for the development of targeted pharmaceuticals, in particular, a melanin mAb- 188Rheniun for the treatment of malignant melanoma scheduled to enter clinical trials in the coming year. There are disease-specific translational, multidisciplinary, activities in the areas of lung, head and neck, and breast cancer and osteosarcoma. Intrinsic to these activities are studies that are exploring gene expression, epigenetic, and proteomic patterns that are predictive of the natural history of these diseases and their response to treatment. AECC participates in ECOG, GOG, COG and the AIDS Malignancy Consortium. There is an active Phase I drug development effort and members of this program lead and participate in the NCI-funded NY Phase II Consortium - a focal point for the conduct of innovative investigator-initiated clinical studies.