ONVEX: Precision Veterinary Oncology by Translational Repurposing

• Grant number: 25/01827-3
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research Partnership for Technological Innovation - PITE
• Start date: September 01, 2025
• End date: August 31, 2029
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Heidge Fukumasu
• Grantee: Heidge Fukumasu
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil
• Partner institutions: UNIDADE NAO MAPEADA
• Pesquisadores principais: Andrigo Barboza de Nardi
• Associated researchers: Marcus Antônio Rossi Feliciano ; Mirele Daiana Poleti ; Pedro Luiz Porfirio Xavier ; Ricardo de Francisco Strefezzi
• Associated research grant: 22/09378-5 - Development of innovative therapies and diagnostic tools for veterinary oncology, AP.TEM

Abstract

Veterinary Oncology is one of the most important specialties in veterinary medicine due to the number of animals affected by cancer, whether due to increased longevity, greater awareness and appreciation of pet owners, or the development of better diagnostic tools and therapeutic possibilities. Even so, the gap between this and human medicine is enormous, especially when considering precision oncology through the use of innovative tests for diagnosis and prognosis or new, more effective and safer treatment options. One of the advantages of human oncology being much more developed than veterinary oncology is that there is a wide range of therapeutic possibilities already developed and evaluated for safety and efficacy, in addition to much preclinical data on these drugs. Thus, the translational repositioning of human antineoplastics for canine species is a promising strategy, especially considering the results already obtained by the research group. We initially identified potential protein kinase inhibitors (PKIs) with antineoplastic effects in canine oral melanoma cells. High-throughput screening projects for other PKIs in animal cancer cells are underway. We have also developed molecular methods that allow patient stratification, and we have structured the Veterinary Oncology and Palliative Care Service at USP. Thus, the overall objective of this proposal is to perform the translational repositioning of therapeutic options for cancer in dogs, considering human PKIs for use in canine patients based on a tumoragnostic precision oncology approach. To this end, two challenges were stipulated: challenge #1: Prioritization of PKIs for conducting phase I clinical studies; and challenge #2: Conducting a phase I clinical trial in dogs with PKI. (AU)