UCLA researchers have played a significant role in the development of several major cancer-fighting drugs that are now used worldwide. Through work conducted at the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center and other campus laboratories, scientists and doctors have contributed to new therapies for various forms of cancer.
Herceptin (trastuzumab) was developed by a team led by Dr. Dennis Slamon, chief of hematology/oncology at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. The drug targeted HER2-positive breast cancer, significantly improving survival rates since its introduction in 1998. Slamon said, “(W)e wanted to try and study the cancer cell at a molecular level … identify what was broken and find out if we could target that specifically,” adding, “The hope would be if we could target that specifically, we’d come up with something that was hopefully more effective and safer because normal cells wouldn’t have what was broken, only the cancer cells.”
For prostate cancer, Xtandi (enzalutamide) and Erleada (apalutamide) were developed through research by UCLA’s Michael Jung and Dr. Charles Sawyers. These drugs have benefited hundreds of thousands of patients with advanced-stage prostate cancer since their approvals in 2012 and 2018 respectively. Jung stated about Erleada: “The phase 3 clinical trial found that Erleada gives men an extra two years of healthy life before their cancer spreads,” continuing, “To give someone an extra two years of healthy life is fabulous.”
Ibrance (palbociclib), investigated by a team including Slamon and Dr. Richard Finn at UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, has become standard care for estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) and HER2-negative breast cancers after being approved for use with hormonal therapy. Their research also introduced CDK4/6 inhibitors as a new class of treatments.
In leukemia treatment, Dr. Owen Witte’s discovery regarding tyrosine kinase enzymes laid groundwork for Gleevec (imatinib), later developed through collaborations involving Brian Druker at Oregon Health & Science University and Novartis Pharmaceuticals. Gleevec became the first targeted therapy for chronic myelogenous leukemia when it received FDA approval in 2001.
Research led by Slamon also supported FDA approval for Kisqali (ribociclib) to treat HR-positive metastatic breast cancer in the early 2000s. Further clinical trials such as NATALEE demonstrated ribociclib’s effectiveness in reducing recurrence risk among early-stage patients; these results led to additional FDA approval in September 2024.
Keytruda (pembrolizumab), initially limited in application, saw expanded use due to work from UCLA professor Dr. Antoni Ribas who demonstrated its effectiveness against advanced melanoma during large-scale clinical trials across multiple countries. The drug gained accelerated FDA approval in 2014 based on these findings. Building on this immunologic research foundation, UCLA’s Dr. Edward Garon conducted further studies leading to Keytruda’s approval for advanced non-small cell lung cancer treatment in 2015.
Cyramza (ramucirumab) underwent phase 3 trials involving UCLA researchers before receiving FDA approval to treat lung cancer in 2014—the first such advancement showing improved survival rates after previous treatments had failed over a decade-long period. Garon remarked: “It is exciting to see that by adding ramucirumab (Cyramza) to docetaxel, patients were able to live longer than those who were treated with the standard approach,” concluding, “We are pleased to have access to a drug that lengthens survival time in a population of lung cancer patients who often have few treatment options.” Cyramza is now used for several types of cancers.
These developments reflect ongoing efforts by UCLA scientists and clinicians aiming to improve outcomes for people diagnosed with various forms of cancer.
