A Drug Repurposing Approach for Clinical Treatment of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer hosted by NIH
Register for a free NIH technology webinar to learn about a potential, novel treatment for Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC). William Reinhold and his team at the National Cancer Institute repurposed two separate therapeutic compounds ─ acetalax and bisacodyl (both previously used as laxatives) ─ into novel treatments for TNBC. Acetalax and bisacodyl show promising results in killing TNBC cells in patient-derived xenografts (PDX) cell lines and mouse models. Attend to learn more about this technology and opportunities to help develop and commercialize it.
The protein transient receptor potential melastatin member 4 (TRPM4) is over expressed in several cancers, including TNBC, and is active in regulating cancer cell migration, cytoskeleton maintenance and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Acetalax and bisacodyl demonstrate potent antiproliferative activity against TRMP4 in TNBC cell lines and cause cell death in TNBC by disrupting its cellular membrane.
Acetalax and bisacodyl, therefore kill cancer cells by causing oncosis (i.e., swelling and rupture) following the poisoning of TRPM4 and represent a first-in-class therapeutic approach for treating TNBC.