Development of practice-changing, groundbreaking treatments takes years of diligent work from the basic science lab, to animal models, all the way through multiple phases of clinical trials to ensure that the resulting therapy is safe and effective for patients. The path to a breakthrough is not straightforward; it is a circuitous route for which the destination may not even be where the original research intended.
Our initial years of funding yielded fortuitous results. Many of these projects were foundational, with follow-on work subsequently funded by PCF and other sources. Some treatments that we hoped would cure patients with prostate cancer were not successful in that disease, but now save and extend the lives of patients with other types of cancer.
Explore examples of how the earliest PCF-funded research has led to practice-changing breakthroughs in diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship of prostate cancer that are used in the clinic today.
Early Funded Research
PSMA: A Target for Highly Sensitive Imaging Specific for Prostate Cancer
In 1994, Dr. Neil Bander developed monoclonal antibodies targeting PSMA (prostate-specific membrane antigen), laying the groundwork for prostate cancer imaging advances. This CaP CURE-funded discovery led to the 2020 FDA approval of the first prostate cancer scan leveraging PSMA, now the standard for detecting high-risk disease and recurrence. These scans can identify metastases earlier than conventional imaging. To date, PCF has invested over $52 million in PSMA research.
Nobel Prize-Winning Discovery Leads to Effective Therapy for Melanoma
Starting in 1997, Michael and Lori Milken supported Dr. James Allison’s groundbreaking research on immune response and cancer spread. With PCF backing, Dr. Allison’s work led to the development of the checkpoint-inhibitor drug Yervoy®, now standard treatment for advanced melanoma. His contributions earned him the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 2018, transforming cancer care. A related drug, Keytruda®, can be used for some prostate cancers with specific markers.
Improving Quality of Life for Patients on Hormone Therapy
In 1998, Dr. Matthew Smith received funding from CaP CURE (now PCF) to investigate the impact of hormone therapy on bone and metabolic health, a pioneering effort at the time. His work led to a landmark 2001 publication and influenced national guidelines, establishing osteoporosis screening as a standard for men on hormone therapy. PCF has invested over $1.8 million in Dr. Smith’s research, including work on the bone health medicine Xgeva® to improve patient survivorship.
Enzalutamide: Extending Lives
Hormone therapy is a mainstay of treatment for advanced prostate cancer, yet cancer cells often adapt, requiring additional treatments. Enzalutamide, an androgen receptor pathway inhibitor, emerged from PCF-funded research by Dr. Charles Sawyers and Dr. Michael Jung at UCLA. Approved by the FDA in 2012, it now extends lives of patients with advanced disease. PCF has invested $14.7 million in enzalutamide’s development, with ongoing clinical testing to optimize its use.
Lifestyle Factors and Cancer
After his 1993 diagnosis, Michael Milken consulted with Dr. David Heber of UCLA on the role of diet in cancer. In 1994, PCF funded Dr. Heber’s study on the impact of a low-fat diet and soy on prostate cancer, sparking ongoing PCF-backed research on diet and exercise. For example, findings have shown that aerobic exercise can reduce the risk of prostate cancer recurrence or death by up to 60%. Today, Dr. David Nanus at Weill Cornell Medicine is leading a PCF-funded clinical trial of a plant-based diet in obese men on hormone therapy.