Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Sep 17, 2025 2 hours, 21 minutes ago
Medical News: Breakthrough Discovery from International Team
A team of scientists from KU Leuven in Belgium, the Rega Institute for Medical Research, the Stanford University School of Medicine in the United States, and the Chan Zuckerberg Biohub in San Francisco have reported a major advance in the search for new medicines. Their focus was on a group of specially designed compounds called isothiazolo[4,3-b]pyridines. These experimental molecules were found to block two important enzymes inside human cells, PIKfyve and PIP4K2C, which play crucial roles in viral infections and cancer development. According to this
Medical News report, the results suggest that these compounds may lead to the creation of powerful new drugs that can fight both infectious diseases and certain tumors.
New Drug Compounds Show Hope Against Viruses and Cancer
How The Molecules Work
The researchers created and tested dozens of different chemical versions of the compounds to see how small structural changes affected their effectiveness. They discovered that keeping an acetylene linker in the molecule was essential for strong action. Even tiny additions, such as methyl or methoxy groups at precise positions, made the compounds much stronger. Some of the new versions were able to shut down the target enzyme activity at incredibly low concentrations measured in nanomolars, meaning only a microscopic amount was needed.
The key finding was that these compounds did not just block one enzyme but hit both PIKfyve and PIP4K2C. This dual effect is highly valuable because the two enzymes are linked to how viruses replicate and how certain cancer cells grow and survive.
Antiviral Properties
Laboratory testing showed that the compounds could block the growth of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, as well as the Venezuelan equine encephalitis virus, which can cause severe brain infections. Importantly, these antiviral effects were achieved without harming healthy cells. Some compounds worked as well as or better than older experimental drugs, suggesting they may serve as broad-spectrum antivirals capable of working against multiple viruses, including Ebola, Marburg, and dengue.
Anticancer Potential
The team also studied the effects of the new compounds on cancer cells. They tested a wide range of cell types, including pancreatic, colon, brain, lung, and blood cancers. Several of the molecules stopped the cancer cells from multiplying, with especially promising effects seen in leukemia and lymphoma cell lines. Interestingly, not every chemical variation produced the same effect, which suggests that fine-tuning will be needed to create the most effective anticancer agents.
The Bigger Picture
This discovery matters because it shows that a single class of molecules may be able to fight two of the most difficult medical challenges of our time: dangerous viral outbreaks and aggressive cancers. The ability to block multiple pathways with one compound gives scientists a unique opportunity to design treatments t
hat are versatile and broadly effective. Although more research and safety testing will be needed before these molecules can be tried in humans, the results are an important step toward the next generation of antiviral and anticancer drugs.
The study findings were published in the peer reviewed journal: Pharmaceuticals
https://www.mdpi.com/1424-8247/18/9/1341
For the latest on drug research, keep on logging to Thailand
Medical News.
Read Also:
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/ivermectin-found-to-block-inflammatory-signals-in-surprising-way
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/ozempic-lawsuits-surge-as-thousands-claim-blindness,-stomach-paralysis-and-severe-health-risks
https://www.thailandmedical.news/news/study-warns-that-rock-inhibitors-used-in-glaucoma-and-diabetic-retinopathy-treatments-can-cause-corneal-epithelial-edema
Share
Tweet
Share
