A team of researchers from the University of Granada has indicated that the efficacy of a new drug against cacnerogenic stem cells, called Bozepinib, has proved to be effective in tests with mice. This finding was published on Oncotarget.

Cancerogenic stem cells appear in small quantities in tumors, and one of their important features is that they contribute to the formation of metastasis in different places within the original tumour. Cancerongenic stem cells remain dormant under normal conditions. Conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy act upon those cancer cells which are clearly differentiated, but they cannot destroy these dormant cancerognic stem cells.

During the last few years, research in fight against cancer has focused on the search for new drugs that can selectively attack these cancerogenic stem cells. If they can be eliminated, the tumour will then be eliminated in its entirety, which will lead to the complete cure of patients.

The new drug was developed by the team is called Bozepinib. It shows a selective type of activity against cancerogenic stem cells in breast, colon, and skin cancers. The powerful anti-tumour activity of Bozepinib is due to the inhibition of the HER2 signaling pathway, and to the fact that this drug inhibits the invasiveness and the formation of new vessels in the tumour. Researchers have also revealed the specific mechanism by means of which Bozepinib acts against cancerogenic stem cells.

Researchers will conducting safety tests and they expect that this new drug can be run through clinical tests with actual patients in the future.