Cancer patients may no longer have to go through the nasty sides effects of chemotherapy.
Recently, researchers from the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) made a breakthrough discovery that could lead to a new cancer drug that does not damage healthy cells, unlike chemotherapy.
According to CNA, the team successfully generated PRL3-zumab, an antibody which targets a substance responsible for promoting cancer growth.
This substance, named PRL-3 protein, is found in most common cancer.
Chemotherapy, the conventional treatment for cancer today, targets fast-growing cells in the body.
Besides killing cancer cells, chemotherapy may also eradicate hair, skin, intestines, and bone marrow cells.
On the other hand, the antibody discovered by the A*STAR researchers only targets cells that “express PRL-3”, without damaging healthy cells around it.
The antibody has been tested on human tumour samples and was effective against these types of cancer:
PRL3-zumab will soon undergo Phase 2 clinical trial to “test for efficacy and proof of concept of the therapy”. It completed Phase 1 trials last year.
Congratulations to the A*STAR team for their breakthrough discovery.
We hope PRL3-zumab makes it through the clinical trials which will not only save cancer patients from the unpleasant side effects of chemotherapy but also put Singapore at the forefront of the medical industry.
Featured image adapted from A*STAR.
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