Could a common dewormer hold the key to beating cancer? Scientists think so
Cancer cells. Scientists are heralding a common deworming drug as a potential breakthrough in the fight against cancer.
What you need to know:
- Polymorph C is proving potent against a wide range of cancers, including: colon, lung, breast, thyroid, pancreatic and various forms of brain tumours.
A common, inexpensive deworming medication found in pharmacies across nations, including Kenya, could be on the verge of a monumental transformation. Scientists are heralding it as a potential breakthrough in the fight against cancer.
Traditionally used to treat parasitic infections caused by worms such as hookworm, roundworm, pinworm, and whipworm, Mebendazole is an over-the-counter drug given to children as young as six months, adults, and even animals. The drug has been in circulation since the 1970s and is sold at between Sh1,175 and Sh1,305 per 500-milligram tablet.
Now, in a landmark medical development, scientists are conducting clinical trials on a modified version of the drug that could become a powerful, affordable, and effective weapon against a range of cancers.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins University have developed a new form of the drug, called mebendazole ‘polymorph C’, and were awarded a patent for it in 2021. This version isn't the same as the over-the-counter dewormer; it's a refined, crystal form designed to be dramatically more potent against cancer cells.
Polymorph C is proving potent against a wide range of cancers, including: colon, lung, breast, thyroid, pancreatic and various forms of brain tumours.
“This could turn out to be a trustworthy, affordable, and one-of-a-kind cancer therapy; a holy grail for millions of people worldwide,” the researchers stated.
The promise of polymorph C lies in its unique ability to overcome one of the biggest challenges in cancer treatment: reaching the tumour. The patent reveals that at least 90 per cent of an oral dose can reach cancer cells at a high concentration.
The patent identifies mebendazole polymorph C as a superior oral drug that delivers effective concentrations to the brain and brain tumours. It notes that efficacy is improved by adding a P-glycoprotein inhibitor and suggests the drug could also be used to treat and prevent other cancers.
How it works
Initial trials on mice showed that polymorph C led to increased tumour suppression with acceptable toxicity, meaning it killed cancer cells without harmful side effects at the tested doses.
To enhance polymorph C's effectiveness, researchers recommend two approaches: combining it with elicridar; a drug that prevents cancer cells from expelling treatment agents; or pairing it with anti-inflammatory drugs like sulindac and celecoxib, which were found to reduce tumour formation risk in high-risk patients.
This is significant because chronic inflammation is a known driver of cancer development. Compounding this challenge, many cancer cells possess ‘molecular pumps’ that expel chemotherapy drugs before they can take effect, a key mechanism behind drug resistance.
To combat the common problem of drug resistance, researchers combined the drug with a P-glycoprotein inhibitor like elacridar. This combination prevented cancer cells from expelling the treatment, allowing polymorph C to last longer inside them. In trials on rodents with aggressive brain tumours, this pairing proved more effective and long-
lasting than using polymorph C alone, though high doses did show some toxicity.
In experiments, a single oral dose maintained a brain concentration high enough to kill cancer cells for several hours. However, prolonged use of the drug combination caused severe side effects, including weight loss and death.
The experts noted that mebendazole C's ability to penetrate brain tumours makes it a powerful treatment candidate. Moreover, its decades of safe use since the 1970s mean its safety profile is well-understood, allowing research to focus on its efficacy against cancer rather than on preliminary safety risks.
If ongoing clinical trials validate these early findings, this humble dewormer could be reincarnated as a landmark cancer therapy, offering new hope where it is desperately needed.
