Innovative Drug Candidate Targets Lung Cancer Growth While Sparing Healthy Cells

Lung cancer continues to be one of the most lethal types of cancer worldwide, with survival rates remaining low despite ongoing advancements in surgical procedures, chemotherapy, and immunotherapy. Recent research from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem proposes a promising new approach that could revolutionize treatment strategies. In a study led by Ph.D. student Nadav Wallis, scientists identified a small molecule named AVJ16, which demonstrates a remarkable ability to inhibit lung tumor growth.

Published in the journal Oncogene, the study highlights how AVJ16 specifically targets a protein called IGF2BP1. This protein acts as a key driver in many aggressive cancers but is notably absent in healthy adult tissues. IGF2BP1 functions as a master regulator within cancer cells by stabilizing RNAs that promote tumor growth, invasion, and resistance to therapy. By blocking IGF2BP1, AVJ16 effectively hampers these processes, leading to reduced tumor proliferation, invasion, and increased cancer cell death in laboratory experiments.

Laboratory tests revealed that AVJ16 not only decreased the growth and invasiveness of lung cancer cells but also did not harm normal lung tissue. Further testing in preclinical models—implanted with human lung adenocarcinoma cells—showed almost complete prevention of tumor growth and metastasis following AVJ16 treatment. Additionally, the drug was effective in patient-derived organoids, three-dimensional models made from actual human tumors, where it selectively eliminated cancer cells expressing IGF2BP1 while sparing healthy lung cells.

Professor Joel Yisraeli from the Hebrew University emphasizes the significance of this targeted approach. "What excites us about AVJ16 is its precision. Unlike conventional chemotherapy, which can damage both healthy and cancerous cells, this molecule appears to zero in exclusively on tumors carrying IGF2BP1," he explains. Although these findings are still in the preclinical phase, they open exciting possibilities for creating new types of targeted cancer therapies. If future trials confirm AVJ16's safety and efficacy, it could potentially be developed into personalized treatments for lung cancers that express IGF2BP1, and possibly other cancers with similar profiles.

This discovery offers a hopeful outlook in the fight against lung cancer, a disease responsible for millions of deaths annually. As research continues, the potential development of AVJ16 into a precise, RNA-targeting therapy could mark a new era in cancer treatment, offering hope for more effective and less harmful options for patients.