Anti-parasite drug targets cancer-causing protein

b>New York - Researchers have found mebendazole, a widely prescribed drug used to treat parasitic infections, to be a a viable investigational agent for the treatment of chemotherapy-resistant malignant melanoma, ScienceDaily reports.

The report, published in the journal Molecular Cancer Research and a phase 1 clinical trial is expected to begin next year. Researchers screened a library of 2,000 well-known drugs and identified benzimidazole agents for their ability to inhibit melanoma growth and induce cell death o malignant melanoma without harming normal melanocytes. The team chose mebendazole for further study because it is well-tolerated, orally available and contains anti-cancer properties, according to ScienceDaily.