Researchers from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Seville and the Institute of Chemical Research of the CSIC have developed a series of new compounds with high activity and selectivity for the treatment of distinct types of can-cer. The invention is directed towards the prevention and/or treatment not only of cancer but of any kind of illness in which the SP neurotransmitter is implicated or which occurs through NK1, NK2 or NK3 receptors.
DESCRIPTION
SP is a neuropeptide which acts as an endogenous ligand specific to the NK1 receptor and possesses a strong involvement in physiopathologies, such as inflammation, pain, stress, anxiety and depression, schizophrenia, Parkinson disease, psoriasis or dermatitis and insulin resistance.
With respect to cancer, the SP facilitates metastasis and it also participates in neovascularization and angiogenesis.
According to previous studies carried out by the inventors, the NK1 receptors antagonists exercise a strong anti-cancerous activity and NK1 receptors have been demonstrated to be strongly over-expressed in a large number of parti-cularly aggressive tumors.
Currently, one of the most potent NK1 receptor antagonists is Aprepitant (Emend®), sold simple as an antiemetic in oncology treatments although it showed to have high anticancer activity.
The discovery of this invention is the development of a series of new NK1 receptor antagonists from inexpensive raw materials. This new antagonists show a much higher anticancer activity and selectivity than Aprepitant, with equivalent activity to cis-platine in lung cancer, which can be used in diverse cell lines such as melanoma and breast cancer. Additionally, taking into ac-count the high affinity for NK1 receptors of these newly developed com-pounds, they can be used in the therapy or the prevention of illnesses in which the previously mentioned SP is involved.
MAIN ADVANTAGES AND APPLICATIONS
– The present invention is mainly directed to the pharmaceutical sector with applications destined towards the prevention and treatment of illnes-ses of a distinct nature related with Substance P and NK1 receptor.
– Among the illnesses related to the nervous sys-tem which can be treated and/or prevented schizophrenia, Parkinson’s disease, stress and anxiety are included, among others.
– Among the cancers that can be treated melano-ma, neuroblastome, lung cancer, and breast cancer are included, among others.
– Other illnesses which can be treated and/or prevented are inflammation, chronic and acute neuropathic pain, psoriasis and insulin resistance among others.
CONTACT
SECRETARIADO DE TRANSFERENCIA DE CONOCIMIENTO Y EMPRENDIMIENTO
UNIVERSIDAD DE SEVILLA
Pabellón de Brasil. Tel. 954488114
Email. sectran@us.es