The Change Mariner

Vertex Drug Reverses Cancer in Animal Study

Yahoo! News:

A new type of cancer drug stopped tumor growth in an early animal study, boosting hopes that the approach may prove promising in humans, according to data released on Sunday.

The treatment, called VX-680 and being developed by Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc., represents the first drug to stop tumors by targeting enzymes called Aurora kinases.

Research has showed that Aurora kinases play an important role in mitosis, or the process of cell division, which is out of control in cancer patients. Aurora kinases have been identified as overly abundant in certain types of cancer, such as leukemia, colon cancer and breast cancer.