A recent study published in Nature Communications has highlighted a promising new treatment approach for glioblastoma, an aggressive and often deadly form of brain cancer. Researchers from the University of California San Diego School of Medicine have identified that combining two inhibitors—EPZ6438 and JQ1—significantly improved survival in mouse models.
Glioblastoma has long been challenging to treat, with median survival hovering just over a year. The cancer tends to resist traditional therapies, including chemotherapy and radiation. Lead researcher Dr. Frank Furnari said, “We’re essentially giving a one-two punch to the tumor cells by blocking two separate processes that are essential for their growth.”
EPZ6438 is an EZH2 inhibitor already approved for certain lymphomas, while JQ1 targets BET bromodomains, proteins involved in gene expression. When used together, the compounds disrupted key pathways in glioblastoma cells, leading to reduced tumor size and prolonged survival in preclinical models.
Co-author Dr. Anna Lasorella added, “This combination therapy approach could offer a new avenue for treatment, particularly for patients where surgery isn’t an option and other therapies have failed.”
The researchers are hopeful that this strategy can move into early-phase clinical trials soon. More studies are needed, but the work offers a foundation for tackling one of the most difficult cancers in neurology.
