Lung cancer, the most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide, is tough to detect at early stages, making it difficult to treat. Scientists may soon have a solution in the form of diagnostic therapy for lung cancer which paves the way for personalized medicine.
Recently researchers from Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research have developed a theranostics (diagnostic therapy) drug candidate for lung cancer.
The selective recognition and imaging of oncogene specific non-canonical DNA secondary structures (G-quadruplex-GQ structures) holds great promise in the development of diagnostic therapy (theranostics) for cancer and has been challenging due to their structural dynamics and diversity.
Prof. T. Govindaraju, along with his team, developed a small molecule for selective recognition of BCL-2 GQ through unique hybrid loop stacking and groove binding mode with turn on far-red fluorescence response and anticancer activity demonstrating the potential as GQ-targeted lung cancer theranostics.
Finding will ensure to develop cancer-type specific theranostic drugs with tremendous implications in personalized medicine. A patent application has been already filed.
