IIT Gandhinagar researchers identify compounds to combat drug-resistant brain cancer

Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) have identified two experimental compounds, SPK17 and SPK17b, that show potential in treating glioblastoma. This aggressive form of brain cancer often develops resistance to temozolomide (TMZ), the standard chemotherapy drug.

The compounds target tyrosine threonine kinase (TTK), a protein responsible for regulating cell division checkpoints. High levels of TTK are linked to the progression of glioblastoma. Laboratory tests indicated that SPK17 was effective at significantly lower concentrations than TMZ, generating approximately eight times the cell-death signal in drug-resistant cells.

While SPK17 interferes with cell division checkpoints to trigger cell death through DNA damage, SPK17b works by increasing reactive oxygen species to overwhelm cancer cell defenses. The research, led by Professor Sivapriya Kirubakaran and including PhD scholars Gaurav Rai and Deepika, has been published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry and RSC Medicinal Chemistry. Further studies and animal testing are required to evaluate safety and therapeutic effectiveness.