In Vitro and In Vivo Approaches for Screening the Potential of Anti Cancer Agents: A Review

Background: Anticancer drug development is a tedious process, requiring several in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies. To avoid chemical toxicity in animals during an experiment, it is necessary to envisage toxic doses of screened drugs in vivo at different concentrations. Several in vitro and in vivo studies have been reported to discover the management of cancer. Materials and Methods: This study has focused on bringing together a wide range of in vivo and in vitro assay methods, developed to evaluate each hallmark feature of cancer. Result: This review provides elaborated information about target-based and cell-based screening of new anticancer drugs in the molecular targeting period. This would help to incite an alteration from the preclinical screening of pragmatic compound-orientated to target-orientated drug selection. Conclusion: Selection methodologies for finding anticancer activity have importance for tumor-specific agents. In this study, advanced rationalization of the cell-based assay is explored along with broad applications of the cell-based methodologies considering other opportunities also.

Bioprinted Cancer Model of Neuroblastoma in a Renal Microenvironment as an Efficiently Applicable Drug Testing Platform

Development of new anticancer drugs with currently available animal models is hampered by the fact that human cancer cells are embedded in an animal-derived environment. Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid malignancy of childhood. Major obstacles include managing chemotherapy-resistant relapses and resistance to induction therapy, leading to early death in very-high-risk patients. Here, we present a three-dimensional (3D) model for neuroblastoma composed of IMR-32 cells with amplified genes of the myelocytomatosis viral related oncogene MYCN and the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) in a renal environment of exclusively human origin, made of human embryonic kidney 293 cells and primary human kidney fibroblasts. The model was produced with two pneumatic extrusion printheads using a commercially available bioprinter. Two drugs were exemplarily tested in this model: While the histone deacetylase inhibitor panobinostat selectively killed the cancer cells by apoptosis induction but did not affect renal cells in the therapeutically effective concentration range, the peptidyl nucleoside antibiotic blasticidin induced cell death in both cell types. Importantly, differences in sensitivity between two-dimensional (2D) and 3D cultures were cell-type specific, making the therapeutic window broader in the bioprinted model and demonstrating the value of studying anticancer drugs in human 3D models. Altogether, this cancer model allows testing cytotoxicity and tumor selectivity of new anticancer drugs, and the open scaffold design enables the free exchange of tumor and microenvironment by any cell type.

Relationships between developmental strategies for additional indications and price revisions for anticancer drugs in Japan

Background The relationships between developmental strategies for additional indications and drug price revisions have not been thoroughly studied. Here, we investigated the price revisions for anticancer drugs approved in Japan. Methods The study was based on published information on anticancer drugs approved between January 2009 and March 2020 in Japan. We investigated the relationships between the pharmacological and regulatory characteristics of anticancer drugs and occurrence/non-occurrence of the Japanese National Health Insurance (NHI) price revisions. Results Eighty-one new anticancer drugs were given NHI price listings during the survey. On April 1, 2020, the prices of 23 anticancer drugs had been revised from the initial pricing, the prices were reduced for 21 drugs (91.3%). Several parameters showed the relationships between drug characteristics and NHI price revisions. The achievement of additional indications and compound type were identified as explanatory factors for these relationships. Additional indication profiles were defined to assess the relationships between the methods for additional indication achievement and price revisions. When the type of additional indication was “Expansion”, the percentage of drugs received NHI price revisions was the highest (P<0.001). Conclusions NHI price revision was significantly related to the achievement of additional indications and compound type. The strategy for additional indications was found to affect the occurrence/non-occurrence of NHI price revisions.

Synthesis and evaluation of vitamin-drug conjugate for its anticancer activity

Cancer is the uncontrolled growth of cells in the human body that has the ability to spread. The purpose of the study is to explore that vitamins can be used as a targeting moiety for new anticancer drugs to address issues like non-selectivity, systemic toxicity. 5-Fluorouracil acetic acid–Vitamin D3 (5FUAC-Vit.D3) conjugate has been synthesized, characterized, and evaluated for its anticancer activity. 5-FUAC-Vit.D3 conjugate was synthesized via esterification mechanism in the presence of N-Hydroxy succinimide (NHS) and 1-(3-Dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide (EDC) by using HCL as coupling agent. Formation of 5-FUAC-Vit.D3 conjugate via esteric bond and the structure of the compounds were confirmed by spectroscopic data, i.e., IR, NMR, and mass spectra. The docking studies showed that 5-FUAC-Vit.D3 conjugate interacted at Arg-215 and Lys-47 of the human thymidylate synthase proteins, through hydrogen bonding and ionic bonds respectively with a binding score of -8.614 which is higher than only 5-FU (-3.475). So, it was proved that forming 5-FUAC-Vit.D3 conjugate shows greater binding to the target protein.

Relationships between Developmental Strategies for Additional Indications and Price Revisions for Anticancer Drugs in Japan

Background The relationships between developmental strategies for additional indications and drug price revisions have not been thoroughly studied. Here, we investigated the price revisions for anticancer drugs approved in Japan. Methods The study was based on published information on anticancer drugs approved between January 2009 and March 2020 in Japan. We investigated the relationships between the pharmacological and regulatory characteristics of anticancer drugs and occurrence/non-occurrence of the Japanese National Health Insurance (NHI) price revisions. Results Eighty-one new anticancer drugs were given NHI price listings during the survey. On April 1, 2020, the prices of 23 anticancer drugs had been revised from the initial pricing, the prices were reduced for all, except for one drug. Several parameters showed the relationships between drug characteristics and NHI price revisions. The achievement of additional indications and compound type were identified as explanatory factors for these relationships. Additional indication profiles were defined to assess the relationships between the methods for additional indication achievement and price revisions. For the 32 drugs with additional indications, the relationships between the additional indication profiles and occurrence/non-occurrence of NHI price revision were investigated. The proportion of drugs with NHI price revisions was higher if the additional indication had more patients than if the additional indications had approximately the same numbers of patients or fewer patients. Conclusions NHI price revision was significantly related to the achievement of additional indications and compound type. The strategy for additional indications was found to affect the occurrence/non-occurrence of NHI price revisions.

Relationships between Developmental Strategies for Additional Indications and Price Revisions for Anticancer Drugs in Japan

Background The relationships between developmental strategies for additional indications and drug price revisions have not been thoroughly studied. Here, we investigated the price revisions for anticancer drugs approved in Japan. Methods The study was based on published information on anticancer drugs approved between January 2009 and March 2020 in Japan. We investigated the relationships between the pharmacological and regulatory characteristics of anticancer drugs and occurrence/non-occurrence of the Japanese National Health Insurance (NHI) price revisions. Results Eighty-one new anticancer drugs were given NHI price listings during the survey. On April 1, 2020, the prices of 23 anticancer drugs had been revised from the initial pricing, the prices were reduced for all, except for one drug. Several parameters showed the relationships between drug characteristics and NHI price revisions. The achievement of additional indications and compound type were identified as explanatory factors for these relationships. Additional indication profiles were defined to assess the relationships between the methods for additional indication achievement and price revisions. For the 32 drugs with additional indications, the relationships between the additional indication profiles and occurrence/non-occurrence of NHI price revision were investigated. The proportion of drugs with NHI price revisions was higher if the additional indication had more patients than if the additional indications had approximately the same numbers of patients or fewer patients. Conclusions NHI price revision was significantly related to the achievement of additional indications and compound type. The strategy for additional indications was found to affect the occurrence/non-occurrence of NHI price revisions.

Bioactive Olivacine Derivatives—Potential Application in Cancer Therapy

Olivacine and its derivatives are characterized by multidirectional biological activity. Noteworthy is their antiproliferative effect related to various mechanisms, such as inhibition of growth factors, enzymes, kinases and others. The activity of these compounds was tested on cell lines of various tumors. In most publications, the most active olivacine derivatives exceeded the effects of doxorubicin (a commonly used anticancer drug), so in the future, they may become the main new anticancer drugs. In this publication, we present the groups of the most active olivacine derivatives obtained. In this work, the in vitro and in vivo activity of olivacine and its most active derivatives are presented. We describe olivacine derivatives that have been in clinical trials. We conducted a structure–activity relationship (SAR) analysis that may be used to obtain new olivacine derivatives with better properties than the available anticancer drugs.

Natural Phytochemicals in Bladder Cancer Prevention and Therapy

Phytochemicals are natural small-molecule compounds derived from plants that have attracted attention for their anticancer activities. Some phytochemicals have been developed as first-line anticancer drugs, such as paclitaxel and vincristine. In addition, several phytochemicals show good tumor suppression functions in various cancer types. Bladder cancer is a malignant tumor of the urinary system. To date, few specific phytochemicals have been used for bladder cancer therapy, although many have been studied in bladder cancer cells and mouse models. Therefore, it is important to collate and summarize the available information on the role of phytochemicals in the prevention and treatment of bladder cancer. In this review, we summarize the effects of several phytochemicals including flavonoids, steroids, nitrogen compounds, and aromatic substances with anticancer properties and classify the mechanism of action of phytochemicals in bladder cancer. This review will contribute to facilitating the development of new anticancer drugs and strategies for the treatment of bladder cancer using phytochemicals.

Natural Compounds as Therapeutic Agents: The Case of Human Topoisomerase IB

Natural products are widely used as source for drugs development. An interesting example is represented by natural drugs developed against human topoisomerase IB, a ubiquitous enzyme involved in many cellular processes where several topological problems occur due the formation of supercoiled DNA. Human topoisomerase IB, involved in the solution of such problems relaxing the DNA cleaving and religating a single DNA strand, represents an important target in anticancer therapy. Several natural compounds inhibiting or poisoning this enzyme are under investigation as possible new drugs. This review summarizes the natural products that target human topoisomerase IB that may be used as the lead compounds to develop new anticancer drugs. Moreover, the natural compounds and their derivatives that are in clinical trial are also commented on.

The Importance of Tumor Stem Cells in Glioblastoma Resistance to Therapy

Glioblastoma (GBM) is known to be the most common and lethal primary malignant brain tumor. Therapies against this neoplasia have a high percentage of failure, associated with the survival of self-renewing glioblastoma stem cells (GSCs), which repopulate treated tumors. In addition, despite new radical surgery protocols and the introduction of new anticancer drugs, protocols for treatment, and technical advances in radiotherapy, no significant improvement in the survival rate for GBMs has been realized. Thus, novel antitarget therapies could be used in conjunction with standard radiochemotherapy approaches. Targeted therapy, indeed, may address specific targets that play an essential role in the proliferation, survival, and invasiveness of GBM cells, including numerous molecules involved in signal transduction pathways. Significant cellular heterogeneity and the hierarchy with GSCs showing a therapy-resistant phenotype could explain tumor recurrence and local invasiveness and, therefore, may be a target for new therapies. Therefore, the forced differentiation of GSCs may be a promising new approach in GBM treatment. This article provides an updated review of the current standard and experimental therapies for GBM, as well as an overview of the molecular characteristics of GSCs, the mechanisms that activate resistance to current treatments, and a new antitumor strategy for treating GSCs for use as therapy.