Taiwanese Research Team Develops Novel Cancer Drug
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Loading... - Touki Yuma
- 06 Aug 2024
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Researchers in Taiwan have developed a promising new targeted therapy drug, DBPR728, which preclinical trials suggest could inhibit tumor growth in nearly 30 percent of cancer patients. This groundbreaking development was achieved by a team at the Institute of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Research at the National Health Research Institutes (NHRI).
The team, comprising Chi Ya-Hui (紀雅惠), Yeh Teng-Kuang (葉燈光), Chen Chiung-Tong (陳炯東), and Chang Chun-Ping Chang (張竣評), conducted tests on mice that showed significant reductions in tumor size within 10 days of using DBPR728. Remarkably, tumor regression continued even a month after the cessation of the drug's use.
DBPR728, which can be taken orally, promotes the degradation of MYC oncoproteins within tumors. The research team's findings, published in the June issue of the Molecular Cancer Therapeutics, a leading journal by the American Association for Cancer Research, highlighted that DBPR728 "effectively suppressed glycolysis, leading to regression of xenograft tumors with MYC gene amplification or overexpression."
The drug demonstrated positive results across various cancer types, including small cell lung cancer, triple-negative breast cancer, liver cancer, and medulloblastoma. According to Chi, DBPR728 cuts off the nutrient supply essential for cancer growth, marking the first time a targeted therapy drug has been developed specifically for MYC oncogene cancers, which impact about 28 percent of cancer patients.
During a press conference in Taipei, Hsieh Hsing-pang (謝興邦), director of NHRI's Institute of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Research, hailed the novel drug as a "new dawn" in treating MYC oncogene cancers. The team has already secured domestic patents for DBPR728 and is actively seeking global patents.
This development represents a significant advancement in cancer treatment, offering new hope for patients affected by MYC oncogene cancers.
