This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Patients with high-risk neuroblastoma are currently treated with aggressive chemotherapy followed by stem cell transplant, radiation and maintenance therapy consisting of 12 cis-retinoic acid. Despite this extensive therapy many children relapse, and when they do there is no known cure. This study is designed to treat children who have refractory or progressive high-risk neuroblastoma after the conventional treatment described previously is given. It is a single agent phase I study using CEP - 701, given orally. CEP - 701 is a kinase inhibitor. Kinases are proteins that work by adding a phosphate group to other proteins to turn them on. Specifically, CEP - 701 inhibits several cell surface receptor-linked kinases, with the highest effectiveness for a family of kinases called Trk kinases. Trk kinases have been shown to play an important role in neuroblastoma biology by functioning in the growth stimulatory and / or survival pathways when they are turned on. CEP - 701 is meant to work by preventing Trk kinases from stimulating neuroblastoma growth and / or survival. Targeteded inhibition of this pathway has proved efficacious in preclinical models of human neuroblastoma.
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