When our parents nagged us to eat our vegetables, they did so because they knew that vegetables were full of vitamins and minerals that would make us healthy. What they probably didn’t know was that many vegetables contain agents that may fight cancer.

The idea that veggies like broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage could help prevent or treat cancer is very much on the minds of two major medical research institutions – the University of Kansas Medical Center and the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. These institutions are working on a joint research project focused on developing a drug out of a naturally occurring anticancer agent found in vegetables.

The collaboration is a great example of how prestigious medical establishments all over the country are combining their strengths to fast-track new cancer prevention therapies and other cuttingedge drug discoveries. Scott Weir, PharmD, PhD, director of the KU Office of Therapeutics, Discovery and Development, said it’s natural for multiple institutions to work together to advance drug discovery, delivery and development.

"These team efforts are important to medical research because scientists are able to share medical technology and resources, not to mention the expense of drug development," Weir said.

The KU Medical Center/Mayo Clinic partnership is one of the most promising of these collaborations. Several formulations of an anti-cancer agent, SR13668, which is derived from vegetables, will be developed under the direction of Roger Rajewski, PhD, director of the product development core at the Higuchi Biosciences Center at KU in Lawrence. The formulations will then be tested in clinical trials at the Mayo Clinic.

"These team efforts are important to medical research because scientists are able to share medical technology and resources, not to mention the expense of drug development." Scott Weir, PharmD, PhD

The agent, SR13668, is a synthetic version of a compound that naturally inhibits AKT, a protein that is unusually active in many breast, prostate, lung, pancreatic, liver, ovarian and colorectal cancers. In cell and animal experiments, SR13668 has exhibited the ability to inhibit this protein, thus stopping tumor growth and, potentially, tumor invasion.

The proposed research is to conduct pharmacokinetic studies on a small number of healthy volunteers to determine how different formulations of SR13668 are absorbed, distributed and metabolized within the body. These short-term, or Phase 0, studies are not meant to treat cancer or to demonstrate that these compounds can prevent cancer. Larger clinical trials may be held to determine the drug’s effectiveness against cancer.

The Medical Center is involved in a number of other drug discovery, delivery and development partnerships. These collaborations often occur because the Medical Center, while having the capacity to conduct the research, cannot take on the financial burden of fully developing a drug, which can cost millions of dollars. That’s why the Medical Center often partners with bioscience firms. One such firm is Crititech in Lawrence, Kan.

Specifically, Crititech has been working with the Medical Center on the drug Nanotax, a new formulation of Taxol, a well-known drug used to treat breast and ovarian cancers.

Nanotax, which may eliminate many of the negative side effects of Taxol, is the first drug developed by KU researchers and then administered to patients at The University of Kansas Hospital’s Cancer Center in Westwood, Kan. After the drug was developed by KU researchers, a partnership with Crititech was formed to help take on the some of the expense of moving the drug from discovery to a Phase 1 clinical trial. In order to acquire National Cancer Institute (NCI) designation, it’s important that institutions can demonstrate the ability to take a drug from discovery in the laboratory to administering it to patients, and this will be the first time KU can prove that it has the capability to do so.

"It’s important for us to work with local companies and to support the local economy, but probably the best thing about this partnership is that we are taking the drug from the bench to the bedside," said Weir. "When NCI comes to visit, that is what they are interested in."



Crititech feels its partnership with the Medical Center is an essential part of moving the process forward to eventually develop a drug that will benefit patients.

"We need to have a partner or group that is capable of conducting a clinical trial," said Sam Campbell, CEO and chairman of Crititech. "It’s great to do that locally and it’s a great benefit to the people here because they can get access to the latest treatments and drug therapies."

While KU Medical Center has formed relationships with many Kansas businesses, it is also partnering with national organizations. For example, in an effort to deliver life-saving medications to children, the Office of Therapeutics, Discovery and Development is working with the Institute for Pediatric Innovation, based in Cambridge, Mass. The organization seeks to improve pediatric care by stimulating development of medical products and medications designed specifically for babies and children.

As part of this collaboration, researchers at the Medical Center are taking the active ingredients in several adult medications and formulating them into a liquified or smaller pill form for children.

Other partners in this project include Children’s Mercy Hospitals & Clinics in Kansas City, Mo., and Beckloff & Associates, a firm in Overland Park, Kan., that assists in the regulatory and marketing process.

Whether collaborating with Kansas businesses or nationallyknown medical institutions, KU Medical Center will continue to pursue valuable partnerships that will help advance the development of revolutionary new drug therapies.

"We are excited about the future of these partnerships the Medical Center has for the advancement and discovery of drugs," said Weir. "We know they are going to benefit the health of Kansans for years to come."+