Current Programs – Asian Fund for Cancer Research

Targeted Protein Degradation for Cancer Therapy

May 27, 2025 AFCR News, Current Programs

A Breakthrough Approach to “Undruggable” Targets THE CHALLENGE: Undruggable Targets In Cancer Many cancer-driving proteins remain out of reach for current treatments. These include transcription factors, RNA-binding proteins, and other intracellular regulators that lack suitable binding sites for traditional drugs. Biologic therapies,…

Building Safer, More Effective CAR-T Cell Therapies for Cancer Patients

August 16, 2022 Current Programs, Innovative Therapies and Treatments, Translational Research

CAR-T Cell Therapies are Not Working Against Solid Cancers Doctors divide cancer into two main types: solid tumor cancers and cancers in the blood. Solid cancer is an abnormal mass of tissue in a ‘solid’ organ such as the breast or prostate.…

Revolutionary Drug Delivery Platform: Improves Effectiveness and Tolerability of Cancer Treatments

November 15, 2021 Current Programs, Innovative Therapies and Treatments, Translational Research

THE CHALLENGE ——Patient Circumstances Limit Potential Viable Therapies Patients afflicted with tumors and cancers are in need of urgent, active intervention in order to have the best possibilities for treatment success and a favorable outcome. The majority of such patients often present…

Changing the Oncology Treatment Paradigm For Oral Cancers

September 13, 2021 AFCR News, Clinical Research, Current Programs, Innovative Therapies and Treatments

THE CHALLENGE ——Oral Cancer Survival Rate Has Only Improved 5% in the Last Decade and Patients Can Have a Severely Compromised Quality of Life Oral cancers, a type of Head and Neck cancer, include the lip, tongue, gums, cheeks, the floor (bottom)…

Engaging the Immune System to Treat Gastrointestinal Cancers

June 14, 2021 AFCR News, Current Programs, Innovative Therapies and Treatments, Translational Research

THE CHALLENGE ——High Incidence and Mortality, Few Viable and Dedicated Drugs Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers including colorectal, stomach, liver, esophageal, and pancreas have high incidence and mortality. Globally, they have the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, and 7th largest death tolls, respectively, among all cancers. In 2020,…

Convergence of Western Science and Traditional Chinese Medicine — Botanical Cancer Drug Platform

April 13, 2021 AFCR News, Clinical Research, Current Programs, Innovative Therapies and Treatments

THE CHALLENGE —Unmet Medical Need for Holistic Cancer Treatment Cancer is a heterogeneous disease. Heterogeneity in cancer is not limited to differences between different patients, but also occurs within a single patient. This intrapatient or intratumoral heterogeneity can present great challenges for cancer treatment. This…

Therapeutics – Anticancer System Capable of Loco-regional Delivery of Drug Product

March 12, 2021 Current Programs, Early Detection and Prevention, Innovative Therapies and Treatments, Women-Led Research Projects

Innovation: Therapeutics – anticancer system capable of loco-regional delivery of drug product Targeted Cancer(s): Solid Tumors, Mucosal Cancers. Initial indication: Oral Cancer Scientific Leadership/Leadership: Manijeh Goldberg, PhD., President & CEO; James Mackay, PhD., Board Member and Chief Advisor; Nishant Agrawal, MD., Chief Medical Advisor Stage…

Multi-functional antibodies to target cancer on multiple fronts

March 1, 2020 Current Programs, Innovative Therapies and Treatments, Translational Research

Advanced cancers typically suppress the immune response by multiple mechanisms. By carefully engineering multi-functional antibody therapies, there is the potential for more effective treatment.