A drug blocks an acid sensor and kills brain tumor cells in the lab
Original title: Ogremorphin induces ferroptosis in primary human glioblastoma neurospheres.
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 cells grown in a lab, not in people.
The short version
In lab dishes, a new drug killed cells taken from human brain tumors.
What was studied. Researchers tested a drug called Ogremorphin, or OGM, on three sets of tumor cells grown from human glioblastoma: A glioma that is given grade 4, the highest grade. It grows fast. Treatment usually starts soon after it is found. It often means surgery, then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary. The drug blocks a protein called GPR68, which senses acid around tumors.
What they found. The more OGM they used, the more tumor cells died. The small clumps of tumor cells also got smaller. The cells showed signs of a type of cell death that uses iron. OGM also seemed to work better when paired with the chemo drug temozolomide: A chemotherapy taken as a capsule, used for some brain tumors. Your team checks your blood counts while you are on it. See the glossary, or with radiation.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: This points to a new way to attack glioblastoma: A glioma that is given grade 4, the highest grade. It grows fast. Treatment usually starts soon after it is found. It often means surgery, then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary. For now it is a lead for scientists to follow, not something a doctor can give you.
What it doesn't mean: This was done on cells grown in a lab, not in people. It does not mean the drug works in patients, and it is not a cure. No one has tested it in a human trial yet. Years of more work would be needed before it could reach everyday care.
Source: PubMed, September 30, 2026 · Read the original
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