Arizona-based Systems Oncology has licensed a patented drug compound from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Research Foundation. The compound offers safe and effective suppression of tumors using a unique approach.<\/p>\n
The compound disrupts the interaction between the vitamin D receptor (VDR) and proteins that control certain genes.<\/p>\n
Normally, the VDR interacts with a form of vitamin D to \u201cturn on\u201d the right genes to drive proper cell growth and differentiation. But interaction with certain genes degrades the active form of vitamin D, leading to cancer growth and a change in the area around the tumor that makes it less responsive to cancer drugs and immunotherapy.<\/p>\n
A compound discovered by Alexander \u201cLeggy\u201d Arnold, a UWM associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, prevents the degradation by blocking the interaction of certain genes.<\/p>\n
\u201cInitial studies with new drug candidates suggest that VDR can be a successful therapeutic target for some difficult-to-treat cancers,\u201d Arnold said. \u201cBy using these newly discovered molecules, we can change the regulation of VDR target genes.\u201d<\/p>\n
Several new anti-cancer drugs in clinical trials are based on vitamin D. But, because VDR is also the \u201cmaster regulator\u201d of the body\u2019s calcium. Arnold\u2019s compounds alter the VDR\u2019s action without interfering with calcium regulation needed for normal health.<\/p>\n
Systems Oncology LLC is a machine learning-based biotechnology company that uses cognitive computing and multi-scalar systems modeling to mine massive datasets and uncover hidden therapeutic insights for cancer.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are excited to have the opportunity to work with pharmaceutical partners to translate this important new agent into a breakthrough cancer therapy,\u201d said Spyro Mousses, CEO of Systems Oncology.<\/p>\n
The UWM Research Foundation, a nonprofit corporation that provides research, entrepreneurship and innovation programs at UWM, has supported Arnold\u2019s research and helped to commercialize it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
A compound discovered by Alexander \u201cLeggy\u201d Arnold, a UWM associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, could provide an effective weapon against some difficult-to-treat cancers.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":836,"featured_media":43884,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","uwm_wg_additional_authors":[]},"categories":[174,175],"tags":[249],"section":[135,137],"display_categories":[115,116],"related-coverage":[],"uwmnews-feed":[158,153,161],"class_list":["post-43883","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","category-research","tag-community-engagement","section-health","section-public-health","display_categories-top-story-secondary","display_categories-top-story-section","uwmnews-feed-letters-science","uwmnews-feed-graduate","uwmnews-feed-hard-science"],"yoast_head":"\n