Investigational cancer drug mimics beneficial effects of fasting in mice (Fasting and the fasting drug made cancer “fuel” disappear)

Medical Xpress / Cell Reports Medicine / Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis ^ | Jan. 20, 2022 | Yiming Zhang et al

[ConservativeMind]

An investigational cancer drug that starves tumors of their energy supply also shows evidence of improving whole body metabolism, leading to improved weight control, according to a new study.

The drug is being investigated for potential use as a treatment for a number of cancers, including sarcoma, breast and pancreatic cancers. The drug breaks down the amino acid arginine in the blood, which deprives cancer cells of a key source of fuel. The researchers became interested in studying the drug after finding that genes responsible for breaking down arginine are dialed up tremendously when the body is in a fasting state. They wondered if the drug could mimic this effect of fasting.

Indeed, the researchers found that the drug triggers cells to undergo a process called autophagy, or self-eating, a cellular-level housecleaning process. Cells undergoing autophagy burn their own cellular waste products for fuel. During fasting, when no new fuel is coming from the outside, cells shift to autophagy, turning inward for their fuel supply.

"Giving this drug seems to mimic some of the metabolic and therapeutic effects of fasting," said Brian DeBosch, MD, Ph.D. "I was surprised by how large the effect was. In the mice prone to weight gain, the group that received the drug ended up weighing about 25% less than the mice that didn't get the drug. And in the mice on the high-fat, high-sugar diet, we saw similar weight loss from the drug. Also, we don't think that the preponderance of the drug's metabolic benefits are from changes in body weight. In fact, for several outcome measures, the metabolic changes preceded significant changes in weight."

The drug has been tested in clinical trials investigating its safety and efficacy in treating several tumor types, including breast, prostate, pancreatic and liver cancers.

[ConservativeMind]

Wait for the drug, or try fasting, now.

[ConservativeMind]

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Does the drug have a name?

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