IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,290,652
Granted Patent B2
US 12,290,652 · App. 17/173,694 · Granted May 6, 2025

Treating tumors using TTFields combined with a PARP inhibitor

Inventors: Michael Story (Austin, TX); Debabrata Saha (Carrollton, TX); Narasimha Kumar Karanam (Dallas, TX)
Assignee: Novocure GmbH
A61M37/00A61K31/502A61N5/10A61P35/00A61M2037/0007A61M2205/051
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,290,652
App. No.
17/173,694
Granted
May 6, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

Tumor-Treating Fields elicit a conditional vulnerability to PARP inhibitors (e.g., Olaparib) in certain cancer cells such as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines. This conditional vulnerability is exploited in a method of killing cancer cells that comprises delivering a PARP inhibitor to the cancer cells and applying an alternating 80-300 kHz electric field to the cancer cells. At least a portion of the applying step is performed simultaneously with at least a portion of the delivering step. In some embodiments, an additional step of treating the cancer cells with a radiation therapy is added to the method. In some embodiments, the frequency of the alternating electric field is between 100 and 200 kHz.

Claims (25)

1. A method of killing cancer cells selected from the group consisting of pancreatic cancer cells and ovarian cancer cells, comprising:

delivering a PARP inhibitor to the cancer cells; and

applying an alternating electric field to the cancer cells, the alternating electric field having a frequency between 80 and 300 kHz, wherein at least a portion of the applying step is performed simultaneously with at least a portion of the delivering step.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the PARP inhibitor comprises olaparib, rucaparib, or niraparib.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the PARP inhibitor comprises olaparib.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the applying step has a duration of at least 72 hours.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the frequency of the alternating electric field is between 100 and 200 kHz.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the alternating electric field has a field strength of at least 1 V/cm in at least some of the cancer cells.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the applying step has a duration of at least 72 hours and wherein the frequency of the alternating electric field is between 100 and 200 kHz.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the PARP inhibitor is from about 10 to about 50 μM.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the cancer cells comprise pancreatic cancer cells.

10. A method of killing cancer cells selected from the group consisting of pancreatic cancer cells and ovarian cancer cells, comprising:

delivering a PARP inhibitor to the cancer cells;

applying an alternating electric field to the cancer cells, the alternating electric field having a frequency between 80 and 300 kHz, wherein at least a portion of the applying step is performed simultaneously with at least a portion of the delivering step; and

treating the cancer cells with a radiation therapy.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the PARP inhibitor comprises olaparib, rucaparib, or niraparib.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the PARP inhibitor comprises olaparib.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising repeating the delivering, applying, and treating steps at least five times.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein each repetition of the treating step comprises delivering at least 2 Gy of radiation to a target area.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein each repetition of the treating step comprises delivering at least 4 Gy of radiation to a target area.

16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the frequency of the alternating electric field is between 100 and 200 kHz.

17. The method of claim 13 , wherein the treating step is performed immediately after the applying step in each repetition.

18. The method of claim 13 , wherein the applying step is performed immediately after the treating step in each repetition.

19. The method of claim 10 , wherein the concentration of the PARP inhibitor is from about 10 to about 50 μM.

20. The method of claim 10 , wherein the cancer cells comprise pancreatic cancer cells.

Assignments (2)
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 4, 2024
From: NOVOCURE GMBH (SWITZERLAND)
To: BIOPHARMA CREDIT PLC
Reel/Frame 067315/0399 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 12, 2022
From: STORY, MICHAEL; SAHA, DEBABRATA; KARANAM, NARASIMHA
To: BOARD OF REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS SYSTEM
Reel/Frame 059989/0035 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 15938088 · Mar 28, 2018
Related Publication 20210268247A1 · Sep 2, 2021
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