Indiana research leads to life-extending treatment for prostate cancer

Fierce athletic rivals Purdue and Indiana universities have joined forces to claim a victory that far transcends sports. Together, these Big Ten universities have propelled Pluvicto™  — a therapy invented by Philip Low of the Purdue Institute for Cancer Research (PICR) — from the lab into the lives of patients battling advanced prostate cancer.

U.S. Army veteran Don Bryant of Indiana is living testament to the treatment’s success. Not long after his diagnosis, Bryant learned that conventional treatments could not overcome the cancer that had spread from his prostate into his spine and pelvic bone. He was told he had from six months to two years to live.

But with encouragement from family and friends, Bryant opted to pursue a clinical trial at the Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center in Indianapolis where he met Dr. Jennifer King, an assistant professor of clinical medicine and a physician-scientist at the cancer center.

King facilitated Bryant’s participation in a trial that combined conventional treatments with Low’s new therapy that targets cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone. She enrolled patients in the international trial in which the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center participated and consulted with Bryant. Since receiving six treatments in the trial, Bryant’s cancer has not progressed.

King is committed to the life-preserving potential of clinical trials in her field.

“We’re bringing innovative science to clinical trials and improving patients’ quality of life,” King says. “We truly believe that clinical trials are our best therapeutic approach for patients with cancer. The collaboration between Purdue and Indiana universities allows us to bring innovative cancer therapies to Hoosiers and cancer patients everywhere.”

Key to Pluvicto’s success is its unique selectivity when preceded by another Low invention called LOCAMETZ®, a radiopharmaceutical agent used in diagnostic imaging. This FDA-approved fluid is injected into the bloodstream where it finds a protein primarily expressed on prostate cancer cells, making them visible in PET scans.

Once LOCAMETZ® identifies the diseased cells, Pluvicto’s radiation-charged molecules connect themselves to cancer cells — and only cancer cells. They then deliver radiation to destroy the diseased cells, while healthy cells go untouched. The result is a cancer-killing treatment that is relatively side-effect free.

“It is exquisitely specific for prostate cancer tissue,” says Low, the Ralph C. Corley Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Presidential Scholar for Drug Discovery at Purdue. “It does not accumulate to any significant extent in other tissues.”

A member of Purdue’s College of Science, Low is recognized around the world for his groundbreaking work. Pluvicto™ is emblematic of the overarching goal he has set for his career.

“My work has always been driven by the goal of reducing suffering and mortality. The most recent leg of this journey started by designing a drug that could bind specifically to prostate cancer cells and deliver an attached radioactive therapy to these cells,” he says. “It’s the difference between a sniper and a scattergun,” he adds, describing Pluvicto™’s specificity compared to traditional chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

Today, more than three years after his diagnosis, Bryant is thriving with nearly no side effects. “I feel like a million bucks,” he says. “To anyone with prostate cancer, I’d say, get in there early and ask about Pluvicto™. It saved my life.”

The Purdue-IU partnership exemplifies the seamless “bench to bedside” power of work by brilliant and dedicated people in Indiana taking fundamental research done at Purdue and combining it with IU’s life-changing clinical applications. With pioneering innovations like Pluvicto™, the two institutions are setting a standard for what can be achieved through collaboration.

“It’s about inventing hope, not just medicine.” Low says.

Bryant, and all those involved in his cancer journey, are grateful to the Indiana State Elks Association for its vital contributions to supporting cancer research that drives innovation in treatment options.

For more than 50 years, the Elks have given nearly $8 million to support cancer research at both IU and Purdue. At Purdue, donations of $450,000 from the Elks and other supporters helped the PICR conduct proof-of-concept clinical trials for LOCAMETZ®. In addition to the Elks’ generosity, many private donors have played a vital role in advancing the basic research that underpins these and other breakthroughs. At IU, Elks’ funding is specifically targeted to retain young scientists like Dr. King to ensure Hoosiers have access to cutting-edge care close to home.

A grant* from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) also supported this work and continues to fund related studies.

As designated centers of the NCI, the PICR and the IU Simon Comprehensive Cancer Center together demonstrate how foundational research and clinical expertise come together to improve patient outcomes.

*Grant P30 CA023168