New drug ' selectively kills dormant cancer cells'

New research published in Nature
Communications details the discovery of a
potential new drug that selectively kills dormant
cancer cells in tumors by inducing mitochondrial
dysfunction.
The research team, led by Prof. Stig Linder of the
Karolinska Institutet and Uppsala University, both
in Sweden, says a small molecule called VLX600
has been proven effective in killing dormant colon
cancer cells in a variety of in vivo and in vitro
models.
The investigators explain that in solid tumors
bigger than a few millimeters, a lack of both
oxygen and nutrients is common as a result of
insufficient blood vessel growth. They say this
causes cancer cells to become dormant.
After these dormant cancer cells have received
treatment, they begin to divide and tumors start
to grow. The researchers explain that this
process plays a part in the resistance of solid
tumors to radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
However, in their new study, the research team
discovered that in areas of tumors that lack
oxygen and nutrition, there is also a lack of
mitochondrial energy production that the cancer
cells are unable to make up for.
"Our findings suggest that tumor cells in
nutritionally compromised microenvironments are
sensitive to disturbances of mitochondrial
function, resulting in a bioenergetic catastrophe,"
the researchers explain.
VLX600 induces mitochondrial dysfunction
When applied to colon cancer cell lines in vitro
that lacked nutrients and oxygen, the VLX600
molecule was found to induce this mitochondrial
dysfunction, causing cancer cells to die.
On testing the VLX600 molecule on colon cancer
cell lines in vivo, it was found to suppress tumor
growth.
Furthermore, the molecule boosted the efficacy of
irinotecan - a drug already used to treat patients
with colon cancer.
Commenting on their discovery, the researchers
say:
The investigators say they have developed the
VLX600 molecule as a drug in collaboration with
Vivolux AB - a biotech company based in Uppsala,
Sweden.
The research team notes that they are planning
to carry out a clinical study of the drug later this
year alongside researchers from the US.
Last year, Medical News Today reported on a
study detailing how an anti-parasite drug could
treat cancer, while other research details a drug
combination that could undermine the tumor
defenses in pancreatic cancer.
Written by Honor Whiteman