On May 27, 2014 Verastem reported that a paper, entitled "Merlin Deficiency Predicts FAK Inhibitor Sensitivity: A Synthetic Lethal Relationship," has been published by Verastem scientists in the latest issue of the journal Science Translational Medicine (Press release Verastem, MAY 27, 2014, View Source;p=RssLanding&cat=news&id=1934320 [SID:1234500557] & Sci Transl Med. 2014 May 21;6(237):237ra68. doi: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3008639. View Source).
The paper describes the finding that loss of the tumor suppressor merlin predicts for increased responsiveness to drugs targeting cancer stem cells through inhibition of focal adhesion kinase (FAK). Since merlin loss is particularly prevalent in mesothelioma (approximately 50% of patients), the efficacy of FAK inhibition was demonstrated in several cellular and in vivo mesothelioma models. The publication further describes the strong tumor-initiating capability of mesothelioma cancer stem cells and the observation that the standard of care agents pemetrexed and cisplatin augment cancer stem cells. In contrast, FAK inhibition effectively reduces cancer stem cells in preclinical models of mesothelioma.
Collectively, these observations provide the scientific basis for Verastem’s ongoing registration-directed clinical trial of the FAK inhibitor VS-6063 in patients with mesothelioma following treatment with pemetrexed (Alimta) plus platinum (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01870609).

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