Abstract 4350: Pharmacodynamic Biomarkers: Evaluation of Oncology Drug Target Engagement in Human Plucked Scalp and Beard Hair
April 2023
in “
Cancer Research
”
Studysummary This study demonstrated that human plucked hairs can be used as a valuable biomarker to evaluate the pharmacodynamic responses of various chemotherapy agents ex vivo, supporting their potential use for assessing oncology drug target engagement prior to clinical studies.
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The study presents a method for evaluating drug target engagement in oncology using plucked human scalp and beard hair as a surrogate biomarker tissue. This minimally invasive approach allows for frequent sampling and provides proof of concept data before clinical trials. The research demonstrated that plucked hair can effectively measure pharmacodynamic responses to chemotherapeutic agents, such as Gemcitabine, Tarceva, and Carboplatin, by analyzing changes in specific biomarkers like p-Chk1, p-ERK1/2, and g-H2AX. The findings suggest that plucked hair is a valuable tool for monitoring drug effects and optimizing clinical study designs.
