A highly effective new drug, known as OTS964, can eradicate aggressive human lung cancers transplanted into mice, according to a new report. The medication, given as a pill or by injection, inhibits the action of a protein that is overproduced by several tumor types, including lung and breast, but is rarely expressed in healthy adult tissues. Without this protein, cancer cells fail to complete the cell-division process and die. Human trials are set to begin as early as next year.
Sources and more information:
- Highly effective new anti-cancer drug shows few side effects in mice, MedicalXpress, October 22, 2014
- New miracle pill can completely eradicate cancer, set for human trials, MNN, Oct 27, 2014.
- TOPK inhibitor induces complete tumor regression in xenograft models of human cancer through inhibition of cytokinesis, stm.sciencemag, DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3010277, 22 October 2014.