Developmental Therapeutics

Ongoing Research

Researchers are investigating alternative ways to assess renal function in children with cancer, performing a detailed assessment using functional dynamic imaging of the kidneys and studying cystatin C, a biomarker for renal function that is not affected by diet or muscle mass. 

Researchers are studying the pharmacokinetic properties of two common chemotherapeutic compounds to determine optimum dosing for these medications in infants.  

Inhibition of the TRK tyrosine kinase family has shown enduring response in clinical trials and efforts are underway to assess newer TRK inhibitors.

Incorporating biomarkers that sensitively measure drug toxicity and tumor burden as clinical trial endpoints has the potential to shorten the timeline to develop new treatments for childhood cancers.

Identifying new biomarkers that reflect the body’s capacity to break down and eliminate anticancer drugs could lead to more accurate dosing methods and improve the safety and efficacy of anticancer drugs in children.