Researchers in Japan and the United States have found that ivermectin, a drug used to kill parasites, suppresses tumour development in epithelial ovarian cancer.
Ivermectin exerts an anti-tumour effect on epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) cells by interacting with the new gene target KPNB1. Because ivermectin is already approved to treat parasitic infections in patients, experiments for its effectiveness in an anti-cancer regimen is expected to significantly lower costs compared to untested drug compounds.
“EOC is a challenging disease to treat because of its heterogeneity. The mortality rate has stayed steady for decades. We need new drugs and also new drug targets,” said Osaka University Gynecologist Michiko Kodama.
Hellbound and Down 