Pioneering new drug could replace aggressive cancer therapies

Health & Fitness
11 Aug 2025 • 2:04 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

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  • A new medicine, KCL-HO-1i, has been developed to improve cancer treatment by enhancing the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
  • The drug works by dismantling a crucial defence mechanism used by tumours, specifically targeting the heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) protein produced by macrophages that shield tumours.
  • Initial trials conducted on mice demonstrated that KCL-HO-1i made chemotherapy-resistant tumours responsive to treatment.
  • Researchers at King's College London, who developed the drug, are hopeful for human trials to begin within two years.
  • This new medicine could potentially serve as a valuable companion drug to chemotherapy, sparing patients from more aggressive interventions.

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