New Hungarian-developed cancer drug delivers exceptional preclinical results

Preclinical testing by Hungarian researchers has shown that a newly developed compound can eliminate aggressive tumours in animal models, including forms of cancer that are resistant to existing treatments.

The joint project of the HUN-REN Research Centre for Natural Sciences and Eötvös Loránd University could mark a significant step forward in the field of antitumor therapies, as previously reported by Index.hu.

The research findings were published last autumn in the international scientific journal Molecular Cancer. In the study, Hungarian scientists describe how they managed to make a highly toxic yet extremely potent anticancer compound safer to use.

An exceptionally powerful compound as a starting point

The research builds on a well-known class of chemotherapy drugs. Anthracyclines have been a cornerstone of cancer treatment for decades, but they are also associated with serious side effects, and many tumours eventually develop resistance to them.

András Füredi and his colleagues developed a modified compound that destroys tumour cells far more effectively than existing treatments. However, on its own, the substance proved too toxic to be safely administered to living organisms.

“It is about a thousand times more toxic to cancer cells than conventional chemotherapy drugs, which means it could not be used safely without modification,” Füredi told Index.hu.

Why it works differently from conventional chemotherapy

The breakthrough came with the use of liposomal technology. The active compound was enclosed in a microscopic, fat-based обол shell that protects healthy tissues while allowing the drug to accumulate primarily in tumour sites.

“Liposomal particles can only leave the bloodstream where the blood vessel walls are damaged by the tumor. That’s where they open and release the active substance,” Füredi explained to Index.hu.