Drug repurposing in malignant pleural mesothelioma: a breath of fresh air?

Fiche publication


Date publication

mars 2018

Journal

European respiratory review : an official journal of the European Respiratory Society

Auteurs

Membres identifiés du Cancéropôle Est :
Pr MASCAUX Céline


Tous les auteurs :
Boyer A, Pasquier E, Tomasini P, Ciccolini J, Greillier L, Andre N, Barlesi F, Mascaux C

Résumé

Drug repurposing is the use of known drugs for new indications. Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a rare cancer with a poor prognosis. So far, few treatments have been approved in this disease. However, its incidence is expected to increase significantly, particularly in developing countries. Consequently, drug repurposing appears as an attractive strategy for drug development in MPM, since the known pharmacology and safety profile based on previous approvals of repurposed drugs allows for faster time-to-market for patients and lower treatment cost. This is critical in low- and middle-income countries where access to expensive drugs is limited. This review assesses the published preclinical and clinical data about drug repurposing in MPM.In this review, we identified 11 therapeutic classes that could be repositioned in mesothelioma. Most of these treatments have been evaluated , half have been evaluated in animal models of MPM and only three ( valproate, thalidomide and zoledronic acid) have been investigated in clinical trials, with limited benefits so far. Efforts could be coordinated to pursue further investigations and test promising drugs identified in preclinical experiments in appropriately designed clinical trials.

Mots clés

Animals, Antineoplastic Agents, adverse effects, Drug Repositioning, Humans, Lung Neoplasms, drug therapy, Mesothelioma, drug therapy

Référence

Eur Respir Rev. 2018 Mar 31;27(147):