IASST and IIT Guwahati create RK-251 to reduce chemotherapy harm
A team from the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST) and the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IIT Guwahati) has created a new cancer drug candidate called RK-251, aiming to solve some of the biggest problems with chemotherapy, like harming healthy cells and treatment resistance.
What's cool is that RK-251 is designed to remain largely inactive in normal cells but switch on inside cancer cells, so it could mean fewer side effects for patients.
ROS-activated RK-251 active against MDA-MB-231 cells
RK-251 uses something called reactive oxygen species (ROS), which are higher in cancer cells, to activate itself and release its anticancer punch.
In laboratory tests, it showed strong anticancer activity against MDA-MB-231 triple-negative breast cancer cells but had much less effect on non-cancerous cells.
Tests on zebrafish embryos also showed no major toxicity.
While these early results are promising, the drug still needs human trials before it can help real patients, especially important as India faces rising cancer cases every year.