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Drug Development in Europe

The Academic Perspective

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Anticancer Drug Development Guide

Part of the book series: Cancer Drug Discovery and Development ((CDD&D))

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Abstract

Europe has played a key role in the development of new anticancer drugs for many years and continues to make important contributions today. The historical importance of European drug development is perhaps best illustrated by endocrine therapy in breast cancer. Beatson in Scotland and Schinzinger in Germany demonstrated the hormonal dependency of breast cancer in animal models more than 100 yr ago (1,2). This led to trials of synthetic estrogens, including diethylstilbestrol (3),with the Royal Society of Medicine in the U.K. coordinating a trial that demonstrated the activity of diethylstilbestrol in breast cancer. Ultimately, this led to the development of tamoxifen, arguably the most important single anticancer drug currently in use, by the U.K.-based pharmaceutical company I.C.I. (now AstraZeneca). More recently, European centers played a leading role in the development of a novel class of antiestrogens, the aromatase inhibitors, that initially became standard second-line endocrine therapy but now appear as effective as tamoxifen. Preliminary data from the recent ATAC (Arimidex, Tamoxifen Alone or in Combination) trial,which was carried out in collaboration with Cancer Research UK, show that anastazole (Arimidex®) is more effective than tamoxifen in reducing disease rscurrence as adjuvant therapy in postmenopausal women wiht early breast cancer.

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Authors
  1. Chris Twelves BMedSci, MB, ChB, MD, FRCP
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  2. Mike Bibby PhD DSc, CBiol, FIBiol
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  3. Denis Lacombe MD, MSc
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  4. Sally Burtles BSc, PhD
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Oncology Discovery and Research, Genzyme Corporation, Framingham, MA, USA

    Beverly A. Teicher PhD (Vice President and Director of Oncology Portfolio) (Vice President and Director of Oncology Portfolio)

  2. Preclinical Sciences, Aton Pharma Inc., Tarrytown, NY, USA

    Paul A. Andrews PhD (Senior Director) (Senior Director)

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Twelves, C., Bibby, M., Lacombe, D., Burtles, S. (2004). Drug Development in Europe. In: Teicher, B.A., Andrews, P.A. (eds) Anticancer Drug Development Guide. Cancer Drug Discovery and Development. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-739-0_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59259-739-0_19

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

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