Scientists at the University of Auckland have discovered that the inexpensive drug pirvinium, created in the 1960s, could be modified to treat colorectal cancer. The research was published in the journal Molecular Cancer Treatments.
Using old drugs in new combinations and doses is a promising way to enable faster treatment seeking for any disease, as faster clinical trials are required. The authors of a new study studied several anti-cancer drugs that will soon lose their patent protection. In laboratory tests, scientists have found that the combination of two of these drugs significantly increases the overall effectiveness of bowel cancer (colorectal cancer) treatment.
The authors say the foundation for this study was laid when research in recent years has led to a rapid increase in understanding of how colorectal cancer develops. In particular, some subtypes of the disease are dependent on the development of small blood vessels and the proteins BRAF and beta-catenin. The research team identified existing drugs that target them.
The combination of the anti-cancer drugs axitinib and vemurafenib has proven to be most effective. Both of these drugs are used to treat other types of cancer and will soon be out of patent, so the cost of using them in the treatment will drop significantly. Because they’ve already gone through all the phases of clinical trials, their entry into anticancer therapy can be quite rapid.
Additionally, pirvinium, an inexpensive antiparasitic drug developed in the 1960s, can increase the effectiveness of treatment by acting on beta-catenin.
Source: Gazeta
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