The medication is pyronaridine, which has been used for more than 50 years and is approved in about two dozen countries, but not the U.S.
Cancer researcher and University of Texas professor Renato Aguilera, PhD, has been testing the drug’s potential as a chemotherapy since 2017, according to a March 3 news release.
Dr. Aguilera and Paulina Villanueva, PhD, published research in 2018 showing that, in test tubes, pyronaridine killed leukemia, lymphoma, melanoma, multiple myeloma, lung, ovarian and breast cancer cells. Since then, the therapy has been tested in animals and in a pilot study of terminally ill patients with late-stage breast, lung and liver cancers.
In the pilot study, the drug showed improved longevity.
Dr. Aguilera is also chief scientific officer of Armaceutica, a pharmaceutical company that is testing pyronaridine in a phase 2 trial. This spring, the company received a patent for the use of pyronaridine for cancer, the release said.
More research is needed to confirm the safety and efficacy of the medication, but Dr. Aguilera said securing the patent is an important milestone toward potential use in patient care.
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