UCLA researchers have played a significant role in the development of several cancer drugs that are now used globally. The university’s ongoing efforts, led by scientists and doctors connected through the UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, continue to focus on finding new treatments for cancer.
One notable advancement was Herceptin (trastuzumab), developed in the 1990s by a team led by Dr. Dennis Slamon at UCLA. At that time, women diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer faced poor survival rates. Slamon explained the approach: “(W)e wanted to try and study the cancer cell at a molecular level … identify what was broken and find out if we could target that specifically,” he said. “The hope would be if we could target that specifically, we’d come up with something that was hopefully more effective and safer because normal cells wouldn’t have what was broken, only the cancer cells.” Since its approval in 1998, Herceptin has benefited millions worldwide.
In prostate cancer treatment, Xtandi (enzalutamide) and Erleada (apalutamide) were developed by UCLA’s Michael Jung and Dr. Charles Sawyers. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men in the United States, affecting about one in eight men during their lifetime according to data from the American Cancer Society (https://www.cancer.org/cancer/types/prostate-cancer/about/key-statistics.html). Xtandi has been available since 2012 for advanced-stage prostate cancer patients. Erleada received FDA approval in 2018 after clinical trials showed it could give men an extra two years of healthy life before their cancer spread. Jung noted, “To give someone an extra two years of healthy life is fabulous.”
Ibrance (palbociclib), another drug impacting breast cancer care, originated from research led by Slamon and Dr. Richard Finn at UCLA Health Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center. Their work contributed to the development of CDK4/6 inhibitors as a standard treatment for advanced ER+/HER2- breast cancer.
Gleevec (imatinib), approved by the FDA in 2001, marked a shift toward precision medicine for leukemia patients after foundational research at UCLA by Dr. Owen Witte identified tyrosine kinase as a key factor in chronic myelogenous leukemia.
Research led by Slamon also contributed to Kisqali (ribociclib), which treats HR-positive breast cancer. Results from the NATALEE clinical trial showed ribociclib combined with endocrine therapy extended recurrence-free survival for early-stage patients, leading to FDA approval in September 2024.
Keytruda (pembrolizumab) became widely used after UCLA professor Dr. Antoni Ribas helped demonstrate its effectiveness against advanced melanoma through large-scale studies conducted at multiple international sites. Further research by Dr. Edward Garon at UCLA supported Keytruda’s use for lung cancer starting in 2015.
Cyramza (ramucirumab) received FDA approval for lung cancer following phase 3 trials involving UCLA and other global centers beginning in 2014. Garon commented on its significance: “It is exciting to see that by adding ramucirumab (Cyramza) to docetaxel, patients were able to live longer than those who were treated with the standard approach,” he said at the time. “We are pleased to have access to a drug that lengthens survival time in a population of lung cancer patients who often have few treatment options.” Cyramza is now used for several types of cancers.
These developments highlight how research conducted or initiated at UCLA has contributed significantly to modern oncology therapies.
