Viagra against cancer
Researchers of the Anticancer Fund, working within the framework of the ReDO project dedicated to repurposing existing drugs for use in oncology, have found that drugs of the class of selective phosphodiesterase inhibitors of type 5, including sildenafil, tadalafil and vardenafil (more commonly known as Viagra, cialis and levitra), can significantly to increase the effectiveness of treatment of different types of cancer.
According to the head of the work, Dr. Pan Pantziarka, sildenafil is the most famous example of successful repurposing of medicines. Originally developed as a drug for the treatment of angina pectoris, over time it turned into the most popular remedy for erectile dysfunction, after which it found application in the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. And this, as it turned out, is not the end of the story.
The authors analyzed a large amount of preclinical and clinical data and concluded that phosphodiesterase inhibitors of type 5 have a wide range of mechanisms of action that are effective in various types of cancer. One of the potential targets of this class of drugs is a rare brain tumor, glioblastoma multiforme, which currently has no effective treatment method.
One of the most important potential mechanisms of action of phosphodiesterase inhibitors of type 5 is an increase in the strength and duration of the reaction of tumors to recently appeared anticancer drugs of the Checkpoint inhibitors class. The authors note the irony of the situation, since the conversion of inexpensive drugs not used in oncology can significantly improve the results of the use of the most expensive antitumor drugs.
In addition, there is evidence in favor of the ability of phosphodiesterase inhibitors of type 5 to increase the permeability of the blood-brain barrier, which significantly limits the treatment of brain tumors.
The researchers hope that the results of their work will attract the attention of clinicians and researchers to the possible use of selective phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors in oncology and will form the basis of large-scale clinical studies.
Earlier publications written within the framework of the ReDO project described the possibilities of using inexpensive medicines widely used in medicine, such as beta-blockers and antifungal drugs, as components of combined antitumor therapy.
Article by Pan Pantziarka et al. Repurposing drugs in oncology (ReDO)—selective PDE5 inhibitors as anti-cancer agents is published in the electronic journal ecancermedicalscience.
Evgenia Ryabtseva, portal "Eternal Youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru according to EurekAlert: Viagra has the potential to be used as a treatment for rare cancers.