RK-251 Drug

RK-251 Drug Latest News

Recently, the Ministry of Science and Technology informed, about a new smart drug named RK-251 that can replace traditional chemotherapy. 

About RK-251 Drug

• It is a smart cancer drug designed to activate primarily in cancer cells and does not harm healthy cells.
• It is developed in collaboration with Dr. Asis Bala from the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST) and Dr. K.P. Bhabak from the Indian Institute of Technology-Guwahati.
• Working Mechanism
  • When RK-251 enters a cancer cell with high reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, these molecules trigger the drug’s activation, releasing an anticancer compound called NBDHEX.
  • NBDHEX blocks target proteins that many cancer cells use to survive and resist treatment. 
  • The idea is to keep RK-251 relatively inactive in normal tissues and activate its anticancer action inside cancer cells.
  • It exhibited strong activity against aggressive triple-negative breast cancer cells, with much less effect on healthy cells.
  • It displayed the desired fluorescence in the presence of reactive oxygen species.
    • The fluorescence response also provides an indication that the drug is being activated in an ROS-rich environment, supporting the underlying mechanism of the targeted approach.

Source: News On Air

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