The MUHC trial for the treatment of prostate cancer

McGill University Health Center Research Institute (RI-MUHC) is launching a new clinical trial for a potential treatment for metastatic prostate cancer.

RI-MUHC is the first center in the world to use the radioactive isotope Actinium-225 for treatment.

“We are very excited to be testing Actinium-225 and to be the first center in the world to begin this clinical trial,” said Dr. Rami Saleh, a medical oncologist at the MUHC's Cedars Cancer Center and the center's medical director of oncology. for Innovative Medicine (CIM) at RI-MUHC. “This is a great satisfaction for our team as it is the result of our continuous efforts to bring the latest therapeutic advances to our patients.”

The study evaluates the drug's ability to work without side effects and the subject's ability to withstand the side effects of Actinium-225, which works by targeting the prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA).

Patients will also monitor how the drug interacts with tumors and healthy organs, determine how well it is tolerated, and determine the correct dose to use in future studies.

The RI-MUHC says that PSMA is found in 80 percent of patients with metastatic prostate cancer. It should be noted that it is highly expressed in prostate cancer cells, but hardly found in the rest of the body.

Actinium-225 attaches to PSMA receptors, locates cancer cells, and then emits radiation to kill them by breaking DNA strands.

“Other clinical studies have shown that similar treatments with drugs targeting PSMA can reduce the burden of prostate cancer tumors and improve prognosis. So, while we don't know if the drug we're investigating will improve the health of our patients, we think this trial is our best hope,” adds Dr. Saleh, who is also the medical director of the Phase 1 study. CIM is an investigator in the Cancer Research Program at RI-MUHC and the Gerald Bronfman Chair in Oncology at McGill University.

The treatment was developed by US company POINT Biopharma and will be administered by intravenous injection to 50 patients with metastatic castration-resistant (mCRPC) or biochemically recurrent (BCR) prostate cancer who have failed standard treatments. Different doses are tested and patients are followed for five years to monitor for any side effects.

“This world first confirms that RI-MUHC has established a leadership position in Canada's clinical trials ecosystem by fostering collaboration between researchers and industry experts. The Center for Innovative Medicine not only brings the latest experimental therapies to patients, but also engages the most innovative pharmaceutical companies nationally and internationally at every stage of clinical trials,” says CIM Director (Interim) Dr Louise Pilot. and Deputy Director of RI-MUHC.

According to the Canadian Cancer Society, prostate cancer affects approximately 1 in 8 Canadian men and is the cause of 1 in 30 deaths. It is also the third leading cause of cancer-related death among men.