Scientists have developed a new drug that "teaches" the immune system to fight cancer cells.

Axar.az reports that this was reported in a study published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry (JMC) by specialists from the Ruhr University (Bochum, Germany).

The new drug enters the cell and creates strong oxidative stress in the endoplasmic reticulum. As a result of this process, a rare mechanism called immunogenic cell death is triggered. In this case, the cell does not just die, but also sends a signal to the immune system, which allows it to recognize and destroy cancer cells throughout the body, including metastases.

The drug has currently been tested in the laboratory on cervical cancer cell lines. In the next stage, scientists are working on a targeted delivery system to activate the drug only in tumor tissues. For this, activation methods using ultrasound or light directly in the tumor area are being considered.

Researchers say that if clinical trials are successful, this approach could lead to the creation of a completely new class of drugs in cancer treatment. Such drugs will not only destroy the tumor, but also "teach" the patient's immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells, thereby reducing the risk of recurrence.

However, scientists caution that the environment of tumors in the real human body is more complex than in laboratory conditions, and targeted delivery, safe activation in deep tissues, and the effectiveness of the expected immune response still need to be proven.