Experimental drug turns cancer's favorite fuel against it
Cancer cells have a voracious appetite for sugar—using it to fuel their rapid growth. This is why many scientists have tried to develop drugs that block cancer cells' metabolism by cutting off their sugar supply.
A novel drug has shown promise in targeting cancer cells by disrupting their metabolism. Researchers at The University of Texas at Austin discovered that this experimental drug simultaneously attacks cancer cells' primary fuel source, sugar, and their backup fuel source, fat. By focusing on both energy sources, the drug puts cancer cells under immense stress, leading to their demise.
The drug was tested on various types of human cancer cells, including melanoma, leukemia, breast cancer, lung cancer, liver cancer, and neuroblastoma, and demonstrated significant effectiveness in mice with melanoma. The researchers liken the drug's mechanism to a "two-headed dragon," where one part of the cell is overstimulated while another part is weakened.
While ADCs (antibody-drug conjugates) using antibodies to target cancer cells are not new, this drug offers an alternative chemical approach, making it easier to manufacture and allowing it to target proteins inside cells. The drug's two components work together to suppress glycolysis (the breakdown of sugar) and inhibit fatty-acid oxidation (the breakdown of fat), ultimately shutting down cancer growth.
Although the research is still in its early stages, the results are promising, and the team emphasizes the potential for this approach to extend beyond cancer treatment to other diseases.
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