A computer search points to an approved drug that blocks a tumor protein in lab dishes
Original title: Targeting BCL-2 through Deep Learning-Based Drug Repurposing: A Multimodal Approach Combining Diffusion-Based Generative Modeling, Neural Relational Inference, and In Vitro Validation.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was done on cells in a lab, not in people. It is a very early step.
This was only done on computers and on cells in a dish, not in people.
The short version
Scientists used computer models to pick out an already approved drug that slowed brain tumor cells in a dish.
What was studied. Researchers used computer models to test 3094 FDA-approved drugs against a protein called BCL-2. The models produced 1294 usable drug and protein pairs to look at more closely.
What they found. One drug, Relugolix, stood out. The way it gripped BCL-2 looked a lot like Venetoclax, a drug already known to block BCL-2. In lab tests, Relugolix blocked BCL-2 and lowered the number of living LN-18 glioma: A tumor that starts in the glial cells, the support cells of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are given a grade from 1 to 4 describing how the tumor is expected to behave. See the glossary cells in a dish.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: BCL-2 is a protein that helps tumor cells stay alive. A drug that is already approved for something else could give researchers a faster starting point. For now, this only shows where scientists might look next.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean Relugolix treats brain tumors. The work was done on computers and on cells in a dish. No people were tested. It is very early, far from everyday care, and it is not a cure or a promise of one.
Source: PubMed, September 14, 2026 · Read the original
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