Aditya Bardia, MD, MPH, FASCO

Developing more effective therapeutic approaches for metastatic triple-negative breast cancer.

Impact

Metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (mTNBC) is associated with aggressive tumor biology and lower survival rates. Chemotherapy has been the mainstay of mTNBC treatment and management, but it is not always effective and can have significant side effects. Developing new therapeutic approaches and combinations that are more effective with fewer side effects is therefore a major unmet clinical need. Dr. Bardia is conducting clinical and translational studies on promising antibody drug conjugates (ADCs). These novel agents comprise an antibody, which specifically targets a protein on the surface of tumor cells but not normal cells, and a highly potent drug that is selectively delivered to tumor cells carrying the protein target.

Progress Thus Far

Dr. Bardia and his team have identified genetic mutations in tumors that confer resistance to ADCs. By studying tumor samples from over 450 patients, they have further linked genetic and molecular changes associated with three different ADCs to treatment outcomes. They have also discovered that the way cancer cells pump drugs out of their system may impact efficacy of specific ADCs in certain patients.

What’s next

The team will continue studying tumor tissue samples and blood to uncover how tumors resist therapies such as ADCs. The team hopes to translate their discoveries into better treatment combinations and more effective use of ADCs for patients with aggressive breast cancer.