Cancer Drug Made From "Caterpillar Fungus" In The Himalayas Passes Early Clinical Trial
A molecule found in fungus could be the breakthrough cancer patients have been waiting for as cancer drug made from "caterpillar fungus" in the Himalayas passes early clinical trial. NUC-7738, developed by researchers at the University of Oxford in partnership with the U.K.-based pharmaceutical company NuCana, has the potential to destroy cancer cells 40 times more effectively than previous compounds, and when compared to existing chemotherapy medications, it does this with less harm to the body.
Author:Suleman ShahReviewer:Han JuOct 16, 2022159.8K Shares2.1M Views
A molecule found in fungus could be the breakthrough cancer patients have been waiting for as cancer drug made from "caterpillar fungus" in the Himalayas passes early clinical trial.
NUC-7738, developed by researchers at the University of Oxford in partnership with the U.K.-based pharmaceutical company NuCana, has the potential to destroy cancer cells 40 times more effectively than previous compounds, and when compared to existing chemotherapy medications, it does this with less harm to the body. This new type of chemotherapy created from the "magical" chemical has been found to be an incredibly effective anti-cancer drug.
NUC-7738 is not currently available as a pharmaceutical because it is still in the early stages of development; however, the results of a recent clinical trial appear positive for the drug candidate and suggest that it might offer cancer patients a new treatment option.
The Most Valuable Parasite In The World
Cordycepin, the active component of the NUC-7738, is to blame for all that has happened here. The naturally occurring nucleoside analog known as cordycepin, which is also known as 3'-deoxyadenosine (or 3'-dA), was first discovered in the parasitic fungus species Ophiocordyceps sinensis. This fungus species lives in the high mountains of China and is also known as the caterpillar fungus due to the fact that it mummies moth larva after it has killed them.
Since it has been discovered to exert anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory actions, scientists are now aware of its potential as an anti-tumor treatment. It has been used as a herbal remedy in traditional Chinese medicine for decades. Because of all this, the fungus is usually referred to be the most valuable parasitein the entire planet.
Nevertheless, naturally occurring cordycepin isolated from O. sinensis does have certain disadvantages in addition to its remarkable qualities. For instance, the enzyme adenosine deaminase, or ADA, breaks it down quite quickly in the bloodstream and can survive in plasma for 1.6 minutes. The molecule's true effectiveness against tumor cells in the body is significantly diminished by the difficulty the cells have absorbing it and the difficulty the cells have absorbing it.
Cordycepin may now enter cells without the help of nucleoside transporters thanks to the medication NUC-7738, which also improves cordycepin's anti-cancer properties. In addition, unlike its natural equivalent, NUC-7738 has built-in defense against ADA, is resistant to breaking down in the bloodstream, and is pre-activated thanks to clever changes, claims a study printed in the journal Clinical Cancer Research.
The anti-cancer capabilities of the drug candidate were tested on a number of human cancer cell lines, and the results showed that these modifications increased such capabilities by up to 40 times. In addition, the most recent report includes a discussion of the preliminary data from the first NUC-7738 in-human clinical trial, which began in 2019 and is still being conducted, and these findings appear to be good so far.
This is a good beginning, and more trials will be launched once it has been completely established that the medicine is safe, and once it has been determined what the suggested regimen is for Phase 2 patients.
Suleman Shah
Author
Suleman Shah is a researcher and freelance writer. As a researcher, he has worked with MNS University of Agriculture, Multan (Pakistan) and Texas A & M University (USA). He regularly writes science articles and blogs for science news website immersse.com and open access publishers OA Publishing London and Scientific Times. He loves to keep himself updated on scientific developments and convert these developments into everyday language to update the readers about the developments in the scientific era. His primary research focus is Plant sciences, and he contributed to this field by publishing his research in scientific journals and presenting his work at many Conferences.
Shah graduated from the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (Pakistan) and started his professional carrier with Jaffer Agro Services and later with the Agriculture Department of the Government of Pakistan. His research interest compelled and attracted him to proceed with his carrier in Plant sciences research. So, he started his Ph.D. in Soil Science at MNS University of Agriculture Multan (Pakistan). Later, he started working as a visiting scholar with Texas A&M University (USA).
Shah’s experience with big Open Excess publishers like Springers, Frontiers, MDPI, etc., testified to his belief in Open Access as a barrier-removing mechanism between researchers and the readers of their research. Shah believes that Open Access is revolutionizing the publication process and benefitting research in all fields.
Han Ju
Reviewer
Hello! I'm Han Ju, the heart behind World Wide Journals. My life is a unique tapestry woven from the threads of news, spirituality, and science, enriched by melodies from my guitar. Raised amidst tales of the ancient and the arcane, I developed a keen eye for the stories that truly matter. Through my work, I seek to bridge the seen with the unseen, marrying the rigor of science with the depth of spirituality.
Each article at World Wide Journals is a piece of this ongoing quest, blending analysis with personal reflection. Whether exploring quantum frontiers or strumming chords under the stars, my aim is to inspire and provoke thought, inviting you into a world where every discovery is a note in the grand symphony of existence.
Welcome aboard this journey of insight and exploration, where curiosity leads and music guides.
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