By Lee Kyung-min
An international cancer research journal introduced the mechanism of a new anticancer drug under development, Green Cross Corp. said Wednesday.
The pharmaceutical firm said the February issue of “Molecular Cancer Therapeutics,” published by the American Association for Cancer Research, highlighted the new drug which the company-affiliated Mogam Biotechnology Institute has been developing.
The drug, named GC1118, showed better performance than existing drugs in preventing cancer cell growth by blocking transference signals to cell-surface receptors, known as epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs).
Cancer cells grow due to EGFR activation, and thus cancer treatments so far have been targeting EGFR.
The drug-maker said that based on animal tests, GC1118 showed more comprehensive and effective cancer treatment capability.
“C1118 is expected to help treat those who had been unresponsive to existing treatments, and to have longer-lasting effects,” a company official said.
The development of the drug is supported by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, and phrase 1 clinical testing is underway.