The FNIH ULTRA initiative into finding a cure for Clear Cell Sarcoma - Update

The Foundation for the National Institute of Health (FNIH) in the US, launched its initiative to find a cure for Clear Cell Sarcoma last autumn and held an inaugural meeting in January, to narrow down potential disease targets that should be the focus for further research.

This work is being carried forward by a Working Group, which is meeting bi-weekly during the summer and early autumn with the intention of producing a white paper by the end of October this year. This will be a plan for a future programme of research and this will be used to raise funds to support the work being proposed.

Following the inaugural meeting the main targets identified were the fusion gene EWRS1::ATF1 and the cell surface protein HER 3, which studies have shown is elevated in over 80% of CCS patients.

After some debate the EWRS1::ATF1 fusion gene seems to be becoming the preferred focus for this future research with the oncogene being either hyper-activated or depleted in order to destroy it.