Markos Leggas - Ph.D.

Dr. Leggas joined the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy in 2004 and his research efforts have focused on translational projects in the area of anticancer drug development. Currently, Dr. Leggas has NCI and industrial funding for the clinical development of a novel anticancer agent, DB-67, which is in Phase I clinical trials.

Another major emphasis of the laboratory is placed in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of nanoparticle and/or liposomal anticancer drug formulations. In addition Dr. Leggas is studying the role of transporter proteins on the disposition of physiological substrates and anticancer drugs as well as in the development of tumor drug resistance.

Selected Honors

• Scholar-in-Training, 95th AACR Conference (2004)
• Foundation, BMES - Travel Award (1999)
• American Society of Artificial Internal Organs - Travel Award (1998)
• American Society of Artificial Internal Organs - Travel Award (1997)

Selected Publications/Presentations

• Takenaka K, Morgan JA, Scheffer GL, Adachi M, Stewart CF, Sun D, Leggas M, Ejendal KF, Hrycyna CA, Schuetz JD. Substrate overlap between Mrp4 and Abcg2/Bcrp affects purine analogue drug cytotoxicity and tissue distribution. Cancer research 2007;67(14):6965-72.
• Horn J, Jordan SL, Song L, Roberts MJ, Anderson BD, Leggas M. Validation of an HPLC method for analysis of DB-67 and its water soluble prodrug in mouse plasma. Journal of chromatography 2006;844(1):15-22.
• Leggas M, Panetta JC, Zhuang Y, Schuetz JD, Johnston B, Bai F, Sorrentino B, Zhou S, Houghton PJ, Stewart CF. Gefitinib modulates the function of multiple ATP-binding cassette transporters in vivo. Cancer research 2006;66(9):4802-7.
• Wilson MW, Fraga CH, Fuller CE, Rodriguez-Galindo C, Mancini J, Hagedorn N, Leggas M, Stewart CF. Immunohistochemical detection of multidrug-resistant protein expression in retinoblastoma treated by primary enucleation. Investigative ophthalmology & visual science 2006;47(4):1269-73.
• Anderson BD, May MJ, Jordan S, Song L, Roberts MJ, Leggas M. Dependence of nelfinavir brain uptake on dose and tissue concentrations of the selective P-glycoprotein inhibitor zosuquidar in rats. Drug metabolism and disposition: the biological fate of chemicals 2006;34(4):653-9.
• Stewart CF, Leggas M, Friedman, HS. Campthothecins in the Treatment of Primary Brain Tumors. In: Adams VR, Burke, TG, ed. Camptothecins in Cancer Therapy. Totowa: Humana Press; 2005.
• Laurie NA, Gray JK, Zhang J, Leggas M, Relling M, Egorin M, Stewart C, Dyer MA. Topotecan combination chemotherapy in two new rodent models of retinoblastoma. Clin Cancer Res 2005;11(20):7569-78.
• Stewart CF, Leggas M, Schuetz JD, Panetta JC, Cheshire PJ, Peterson J, Daw N, Jenkins JJ, 3rd, Gilbertson R, Germain GS, Harwood FC, Houghton PJ. Gefitinib enhances the antitumor activity and oral bioavailability of irinotecan in mice. Cancer research 2004;64(20):7491-9.
• Leggas M, Adachi M, Scheffer GL, Sun D, Wielinga P, Du G, Mercer KE, Zhuang Y, Panetta JC, Johnston B, Scheper RJ, Stewart CF, Schuetz JD. Mrp4 confers resistance to topotecan and protects the brain from chemotherapy. Molecular and cellular biology 2004;24(17):7612-21.
• Leggas M, Zhuang Y, Welden J, Self Z, Waters CM, Stewart CF. Microbore HPLC method with online microdialysis for measurement of topotecan lactone and carboxylate in murine CSF. Journal of pharmaceutical sciences 2004;93(9):2284-95.
• Leggas M, Schuetz EG, Leggas M, Sun D, Yasuda K, Reid G, Zelcer N, Adachi M, Strom S, Evans RM, Moore DD, Borst P, Schuetz JD. Interactions between hepatic Mrp4 and Sult2a as revealed by the constitutive androstane receptor and Mrp4 knockout mice. The Journal of biological chemistry 2004;279(21):22250-7.
• Leggas M, Stewart CF, Woo MH, Fouladi M, Cheshire PJ, Peterson JK, Friedman HS, Billups C, Houghton PJ. Relation between Irofulven (MGI-114) systemic exposure and tumor response in human solid tumor xenografts. Clin Cancer Res 2002;8(9):3000-7.