Researchers in Korea say they have developed an anticancer drug that could potentially prevent drug resistance. The scientists, from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and led by Kwang-meyung Kim, PhD, created the new drug by conjugating a drug that inhibits resistance against anticancer drugs (SMAC) and an anticancer agent (Doxorubicin).
The resulting drug remains inactive in the body until it encounters a cancer cell and reacts with cathepsin B that is overexpressed in cancer cells. The conjugate specifically releases the anticancer agent in cancer cells along with the drug-resistance inhibitor to effectively treat cancers without concern over drug resistance, according to the team.
