Protein kinases in cancer research – VHIR Annual Report 2024

Publications

50.00

%Q1

Number of citations

100.00

% Open Access Publications

Ongoing Projects

Number of Presented Theses

Number of Active Clinical Trials

Our team is committed to unravelling novel cellular signaling pathways that govern cancer cell proliferation and differentiation, with the goal of developing targeted therapies to enhance the effectiveness of anticancer treatments. We have identified the protein kinase ERK5 as a major contributor to the immunosuppressive environment of endometrial cancer (EC). These finding set the bases for the preclinical development of ERK5 inhibitors as potential adjuvants to enhance the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in EC. We collaborated with Biopharma companies for the development of innovative anticancer compounds. We continue to contribute to the clinical advancement of ABTL0812, a pro-autophagy molecule currently in Phase 2b clinical trial for pancreatic cancer. We also published the results of the ENDOLUNG Phase 2 trail, demonstrating that the combination of ABTL0812 with carboplatin/paclitaxel is safe and exhibits good antitumor activity in patients with advanced or recurrent EC.

eCORE

Cancer

Team

Group Leader
Jose Miguel Lizcano De Vega

Researchers
Lorena Usero Ridruejo, Nora Diéguez Martínez

PhD Students
Sergio Espinosa Gil, Idoia Bolinaga Andrés, Maria Viñas Casas, Clàudia Faúndez Vidiella

Lab Technicians
Elisabet Megías Roda

Selected Publications

Gabriel Gallo-Oller, Guillem Pons, Júlia Sansa-Girona, Natalia Navarro, Patricia Zarzosa, Lia García-Gilabert, Paula Cabré-Fernandez, Gabriela Guillén Burrieza, Lorena Valero-Arrese, Miguel F. Segura, José M. Lizcano, José Sánchez de Toledo, Lucas Moreno, Soledad Gallego & Josep Roma
TRIB3 silencing promotes the downregulation of Akt pathway and PAX3-FOXO1 in high-risk rhabdomyosarcoma
Exp Hematol Oncol. 2024. 13: 38
DOI: 10.1186/s40164-024-00503-9
IF: 9.70

Pinteac R, Soriano J, Matute-Blanch C, Lizcano JM, Duarri A, Malhotra S, Eixarch H, López Comellas G, Montalban X, Comabella M
Chitinase 3-like 1 is neurotoxic in multiple sclerosis patient-derived cortical neurons
Clin. Transl. Med. 2024. 14: e70125
DOI: 10.1002/ctm2.70125
IF: 7.90

Leary A, Estévez-García P, Sabatier R, Ray-Coquard I, Romeo M, Barretina-Ginesta P, Gil-Martin M, Garralda E, Bosch-Barrera J, Morán T, Martin-Martorell P, Nadal E, Gascón P, Rodon J, Lizcano JM, Muñoz-Guardiola P, Fierro-Durán G, Pedrós-Gámez O, Pérez-Montoyo H, Yeste-Velasco M, Cortal M, Pérez-Campos A, Alfon J, Domenech C, Pérez-Fidalgo A, Oaknin A.
ENDOLUNG trial. A phase 1/2 study of the Akt/mTOR inhibitor and autophagy inducer Ibrilatazar (ABTL0812) in combination with paclitaxel/carboplatin in patients with advanced/recurrent endometrial cancer
BMC Cancer. 2024. 24(1): 876
DOI: 10.1186/s12885-024-12501-5
IF: 3.40

Selected Projects

Efectos inmumoduladores de ABTL0812, un compuesto antitumoral activador de autofagia en fase clínica 2. Identificación de compuestos inmunoterapéuticos antitumorales basados en la autofagia
Principal Investigator: Jose M Lizcano
Agency: MICINN, Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades
Funding: 451.450
Period: 2022-2025

Childhood Cancer and Blood Disorders
Principal Investigator: Lucas Moreno
Agency: AGAUR, Generatitat de Catalunya
Funding: 66.000
Period: 2023-2025

Nuevas terapias antitumorales basadas en las propiedades inmunomoduladoras de los inhibidores de la MAP kinasa ERK5
Principal Investigator: Jose M Lizcano
Agency: Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación
Funding: 162.500
Period: 2023-2026