DDX3 is overexpressed in various forms of cancer but its oncogenic role in breast cancer has been studied most extensively.The treatment of breast cancer has dramatically benefited with the introduction of estrogen and progesterone receptors as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, but for triple negative and aggressive breast cancers the survival expectancy is still poor.
Screening patients for the presence of estrogen and progesterone receptors, as well as the overexpression of the HER2 protein can direct the therapy and thus the chance of successful treatment and survival. Patients whose cancer cells are positive for HER2 have a more aggressive disease and may be treated with the Herceptin, a monoclonal antibody that targets HER2 and improves the prognosis, whilst patients who do not test positive for estrogen (ER) and progesterone receptors (PR) will not be able to respond to hormone therapy.
Treatment with our DDX3 inhibitors would follow a similar approach of pre screening the patient’s cancer cells for DDX3 overexpression, potentially offering an integration or alternative to available treatments.