Gold beats platinum for chemo drugs in new lab study

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A new gold-based drug can slow tumour growth in animals by 82% and target cancers more selectively than standard chemotherapy drugs, according to a study by Australian and Indian researchers.

The RMIT University study published in the European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry reveals a new gold-based compound that’s 27 times more potent against cervical cancer cells in the lab than standard chemotherapy drug cisplatin.

It was also 3.5 times more effective against prostate cancer and 7.5 times more effective against fibrosarcoma cells in the lab.

In mice studies, the gold compound reduced cervical cancer tumour growth by 82%, compared to cisplatin’s 29%.

Project lead at RMIT, Distinguished Professor Suresh Bhargava AM, said it marked a promising step towards alternatives to platinum-based cancer drugs.

“These newly synthesized compounds demonstrate remarkable anticancer potential, outperforming current treatments in a number of significant aspects including their selectivity in targeting cancer cells,” said Bhargava, Director of RMIT’s Centre for Advanced Materials and Industrial Chemistry.

“While human trials are still a way off, we are really encouraged by these results.”

The gold-based compound is now protected by a US Patent and ready for further development towards potential clinical application.

Towards more targeted, less toxic treatment

Gold is famously known as the noblest of all metals because it has little or no reaction when encountering other substances; a property that makes it perfect for wedding rings and coins.

However, the gold compound used in this study is a chemically tailored form known as Gold(I), designed to be highly reactive and biologically active.

This chemically reactive form was then tailored to interact with an enzyme abundant in cancer cells, known as thioredoxin reductase.

By blocking this protein’s activity, the gold compound effectively shuts down cancer cells before they can multiply or develop drug resistance.

Bhargava said this highly targeted approach minimizes the toxic side effects seen with the platinum-based cisplatin, which targets DNA and damages both healthy and cancerous cells.

“Their selectivity in targeting cancer cells, combined with reduced systemic toxicity, points to a future where treatments are more effective and far less harmful,” Bhargava said.

This specific form of gold was also shown to be more stable than those used in earlier studies, allowing the compound … Read More