Use of nanoscale vanadium containing compounds for the treatment of cancers.
Cancer is the leading cause of death in the U.S. and around the world. Nanomedicine has emerged as a new avenue to tackle the challenge of disease treatment. Several nanomedicines are FDA-approved and even more are in clinical trial. The emergence of drug resistant cancers and a low success rate among drug candidates, however, continues to increase the need for new oncology therapeutics.
Emory researchers have developed a vanadium-containing nanoscale molecule for selective killing of cancer cells. The molecule opportunistically exploits cancer cell metabolism and disrupts the reduction/oxidation balance while leaving normal cells untouched. The novel compound incorporates the transition metal vanadium and can be synthesized at relatively low cost. This nanoscale molecule significantly suppresses the growth of a broad spectrum of cancer cells, including drug-resistant types. Emory researchers have demonstrated efficacy at micromolar concentrations with limited-to-no cytotoxicity for non-cancer cells. In vivo studies have also shown tumor growth inhibition. The compound shows superior efficacy and almost no organ toxicity in stark contrast to currently marketed cancer therapeutics.
This project is currently in pre-clinic evaluations.