Berzosertib: new precision medicine shows promise in advanced tumors

The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) and The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust (both London, UK) have investigated a new precision medicine, berzosertib, that targets cancer’s ability to repair its DNA.The new family of drugs block a key DNA repair protein called ATR. The ATR inhibitor, either on its own or with chemotherapy, was tested in 40 patients with very advanced tumors. The team established doses at which the drug is safe to use and discovered that berzosertib only caused mild side effects. The first Phase I clinical trial of the drug class designed to test the drug’s safety found...