Technology

Ras Therapeutics is named for a protein involved in a critical pathway for cancer development. Groundbreaking research conducted in the laboratory of Dr. Richard Kolesnick, of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), has demonstrated that interfering with inappropriate Ras activation signals via kinase-like suppressor of RAS-1 (KSR1) stimulated tumor regression and prevented further cancer growth in pancreatic and lung cancer cells in lab animals. These studies prompted researchers at MSKCC to synthesize a molecular genetic inhibitor of the KSR1 gene, a.k.a., an antisense oligonucleotide (ODN).

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) selected this ODN, now licensed by Ras Therapeutics and known as RAS-001, for rapid development through the Rapid Access to Investigational Drugs (RAID) program. NCI funded and conducted a series of toxicological and pharmacokinetic studies, resulting in compelling data that suggests that RAS-001 interferes with RAS-driven malignancies such as pancreatic and lung cancers. Ras Therapeutics is planning to initiate an enhanced Phase I clinical study of this compound in advanced metastatic pancreatic cancer patients in early 2008.

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