Pancreatic Cancer
Pancreatic Cancer is a cancer that arise in the pancreas and that, unless controlled at its earliest stages, tends to spread to local tissues and to distant organs. Although surgery can be curative if pancreatic cancer is diagnosed at its very earliest stages, once the cancer has spread to distant organs, the current treatment has some, although limited, efficacy. New treatments are clearly needed. RAGE has been implicated in the growth and spread of pancreatic cancer and its resistance to chemotherapy.
Glioblastoma
Glioblastoma is a highly malignant brain tumor for which current therapeutic options provide only a modest improvement in outlook. New treatments of glioblastoma are urgently needed. RAGE may play a role in the growth and invasiveness of glioblastoma and its resistance to current treatments.
Brain Metastasis
The spread (metastasis) of cancer to the brain is a common occurrence in patients with lung cancer and breast cancer, as well as many other cancers. Brain metastases can be resistant to the effect of radiation therapy and pre-clinical data suggests that RAGE inhibition may overcome this resistance.
Cancer Associated Bone Pain
Breast, lung, and prostate cancer, when metastatic, commonly has spread to bones, and when it does, causes very significant pain. The current treatment of the bone pain commonly involves the use of opiates, which can have significant side effects. New non-narcotic treatment of bone pain associated with metastatic breast cancer are needed. RAGE activation in bone metastases amplifies bone pain in pre-clinical studies, an effect reversed by RAGE inhibition.
Chemotherapy-induced Cognitive Impairment
Chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment, often referred to as “chemobrain” commonly occurs in people receiving high doses of chemotherapy. Pre-clinical data suggests that azeliragon may lessen or prevent chemotherapy-induced cognitive impairment when given in conjunction with chemotherapy.
Steroid-refractory Asthma
There are about 25 million people in the US with asthma and 4 to 10% have severe asthma that is uncontrolled with inhaled corticosteroids or long-acting beta agonists, the most commonly prescribed treatments. RAGE has been implicated as a contributor to severe asthma.
