MY LONDON
Scientists have developed a pill that appears in pre-clinical research to “annihilate” all solid cancer tumours and leave healthy cells unaffected.
Researchers at City of Hope, one of the US’ largest cancer research and treatment organisations, published a study on Tuesday detailing early test results of “cancer-killing pill” AOH1996.
The drug targets a cancerous variant of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) – a protein that in its mutated form is “critical” in DNA replication and repair of all “expanding tumours”, City of Hope said.
Linda Malkas, a professor in the Californian treatment centre’s department of molecular diagnostics and experimental therapeutics, has been developing the pill over the past 20 years.
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She said: “PCNA is like a major airline terminal hub containing multiple plane gates.
“Data suggests PCNA is uniquely altered in cancer cells, and this fact allowed us to design a drug that targeted only the form of PCNA in cancer cells.
“Our cancer-killing pill is like a snowstorm that closes a key airline hub, shutting down all flights in and out only in planes carrying cancer cells.”
