A promising new targeted treatment for advanced bowel cancer has shown significant results in an early-stage clinical trial, with the drug halting tumour growth in nearly nine out of ten patients.
Breakthrough in bowel cancer treatment
The drug, known as ozekibart, works by mimicking a natural protein to trigger the death of cancer cells while largely sparing healthy tissue. When combined with chemotherapy, it has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in patients whose disease had previously worsened despite other treatments.
The Phase I trial, led by the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, involved 45 patients with advanced colorectal cancer. Results showed that tumours shrank in 20 per cent of participants, and the cancer stopped growing in almost 87 per cent of cases.
Patient story: A new lease of life
One of the trial participants, Amanda Burgess, 59, from East Sussex, described the therapy as giving her a “new lease of life”. Diagnosed with colorectal cancer in April 2024, she joined the trial at The Royal Marsden in July of that year. She said the treatment has allowed her to spend more time with her family and her beloved dogs, something she had feared might not be possible.
Dr. Susannah Stanway, a consultant medical oncologist at The Royal Marsden and lead researcher of the trial, commented: “These early results are very encouraging. Ozekibart has the potential to become an important addition to our arsenal against advanced bowel cancer, offering hope to patients who have limited options.”
The findings were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting. Further studies are planned to confirm the drug’s effectiveness in larger patient groups.
