Targeting RANK receptor as a novel therapeutic strategy in triple negative breast cancer

Introduction

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy among females in the western world, resulting in nearly half a million deaths annually, mainly due to metastatic disease.

Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC)

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for almost 15–20% of all breast cancers, with approximately 300,000 women diagnosed worldwide per year. It is commonly diagnosed in women younger than age 40. TNBC remains a clinical challenge due to:

• High rate of relapse
• Propensity to form visceral metastasis
• Limited targeted therapies

Thus, there is an urgent need to identify novel targeted therapies for the treatment of TNBC.

TargetRANK Overview

TargetRANK is based on the innovative idea of generating novel drugs targeting the RANK receptor – instead of its ligand RANKL – for the treatment of TNBC. Additionally, it aims to develop a new panel of anti-RANK human antibodies for research and diagnostic purposes.

Potential Benefits

Small molecule inhibitors generated during the project could plausibly be positioned as a novel targeted therapy for TNBC. Furthermore, anti-RANK antibodies could be commercialized for research applications due to the lack of specific antibodies on the market.

The most important benefits of TargetRANK are based on:

1. The unmet need to improve the treatment of TNBC patients
2. The economic burden for public health systems generated by standard non-selected and ineffective cancer treatments

Broader Implications

If drugs against RANK prove to be efficient, TargetRANK-derived assets could also clinically benefit most patients suffering from bone metastasis who are currently treated with bone resorption drugs, such as denosumab and bisphosphonates.

Although our products are aimed at breast cancer, they may also be therapeutically relevant for other tumors expressing RANK, such as non-small cell lung cancer.

Patient Stratification

RANK antibodies will allow for the stratification of patients that might benefit from RANK blocking molecules. This could improve existing treatments for skeletal-related events and reduce the main complications associated with life-altering morbidity affecting several types of prevalent cancers.