Tasquinimod : ou comment agir sur le microenvironnement dans le cancer métastatique de la prostate

Despite the recent introduction of new drugs, castration-resistant metastatic prostate cancer, (mCRPC) remains a poor prognosis disease, with a crucial need for new therapeutic approaches. Tasquinimod is a newly developed molecule, orally administered, currently evaluated in phase III studies. Tasquinimod targets the tumor microenvironment, focusing on the angiogenic and immune components. Its specific action on the S100A9 protein restores immunity and reduces angiogenesis. A phase II double-blind randomized study against placebo showed an improvement of more than 50% of progression free survival in the group of mCRPC patients treated with tasquinimod, as compared to the placebo group. At a dose of 1 mg/day, the tolerance of tasquinimod appeared acceptable. This review presents the available preclinical and clinical results of tasquinimod, with a particular focus on the originality of its mode of action.