NEW DELHI: High doses of toxins derived from the venom of scorpions, bees and snakes, which can otherwise kill humans are being researched as potential treatments for cancer by a group of Indian origin scientists at the University of Illinois. The research titled- Highly efficient anti-cancer therapy using scorpion NanoVenin was part of the recent meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world’s largest scientific society, in San Francisco. The lead author of the research- Prof Dipanjan Pan says, laboratory results indicated high efficacy in different variants of breast cancer cells and melanoma cells Studies are underway to fully elucidate their safety and efficacy in preclinical models. These results will help us move from preclinical to first-to-human studies.
The goal of the scientific team behind this groundbreaking study is to use the powerful properties of venom toxins for attacking cancer cells while sparing healthy surrounding cells/ tissue. The team behind the pioneering effort has successfully designed nano-particles in the laboratory, using novel chemistry. These particles latch on to the cancer cells before delivering high doses of toxins derived from scorpions, bees, and snakes. Results also indicate that these particles are able to hide themselves from the human immune system and point to the benefit of these systems in terms of their overall safety.
Our research found that the highly potent toxins from animal venoms can be used for treating cancer. Venoms are soups- a complex mixture of protein, peptides and other chemicals. Host defence peptidotoxins from animal venoms have been identified to possess substantial anticancer properties, says Prof Dipanjan Pan.
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