Scientists, including one of Indian origin, have developed a new targeted treatment for ovarian cancer that shrinks tumours without causing any side effects.
Researchers believe the drug, which mimics the action of folic acid to enter cells, could hold huge promise for women with advanced ovarian cancer who have stopped responding to standard treatment.
The drug kills cells by blocking a molecule called thymidylate synthase and causing irreparable DNA damage.
“The results we have seen in this trial are very promising. It is rare to see such clear evidence of reproducible responses in these early stages of drug development,” said Udai Banerji, Deputy Director, Drug Development Unit at Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in the UK.