Researchers from the Molecular Cancer group at the Hospital del Mar Medical Research Institute (IMIM) and doctors from Hospital del Mar, have demonstrated the effectiveness of a drug for treating metastatic bladder cancer in patients who did not respond to the usual treatment. The preliminary results of an ongoing clinical trial show that TAK-228, a mTORC1/2 protein inhibitor, can stop the progression of the disease.

The principle behind this drug is the inhibition of the mTORC1/2 protein, commonly present in tumours. This protein plays a key role in the development and spread of tumours. The researchers analysed its effectiveness in the laboratory, in bladder cancer cell lines both in vitro and implanted into mice. They also worked with fresh tissue from the tumours of patients. The novelty is that, at the same time, they designed a clinical trial that is now underway.

The results, published in Molecular Cancer Research, demonstrate not only the good preclinical results of this drug, but that these are even better when combined with other treatments. At the same time, the researchers determined that it was more effective on a subgroup of tumours with particular characteristics, certain genetic alterations that could be used as therapeutic targets”, explain the researchers.