Drug repurposing — investigating approved drugs for new indications — has accelerated cancer research. Compounds such as fenbendazole, ivermectin and doxycycline have shown in vitro and limited in vivo activity in models of various malignancies.
Mechanisms under investigation
- Microtubule disruption (benzimidazoles)
- Senolytic activity (tetracyclines)
- Immune modulation (ivermectin)
This is an emerging research area; results in cell lines do not directly translate to clinical efficacy in humans.