The new take-at-home drug that ‘could boost effectiveness of chemotherapy’
Pioneering new drug could replace aggressive cancer therapies
- A new medicine, KCL-HO-1i, has been developed to improve cancer treatment by enhancing the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
- The drug works by dismantling a crucial defence mechanism used by tumours, specifically targeting the heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) protein produced by macrophages that shield tumours.
- Initial trials conducted on mice demonstrated that KCL-HO-1i made chemotherapy-resistant tumours responsive to treatment.
- Researchers at King's College London, who developed the drug, are hopeful for human trials to begin within two years.
- This new medicine could potentially serve as a valuable companion drug to chemotherapy, sparing patients from more aggressive interventions.