A new drug called TR107 kills glioma cells in lab tests
Original title: Targeting mitochondrial protease in diffuse gliomas.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was done in animals, not people. Most findings at this stage never become treatments.
This was only done in cells and animals, not in people.
The short version
Scientists tested a new drug on brain tumor cells and it worked better than an approved drug in these early lab tests.
What was studied. Researchers tested a new drug called TR107 on glioma: A tumor that starts in the glial cells, the support cells of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are graded 1 to 4 by how fast they tend to grow. See the glossary cells in the lab, in tumor tissue, and in animals. They compared it to ONC201 (Dordaviprone), a drug the FDA has already approved.
What they found. TR107 killed glioma: A tumor that starts in the glial cells, the support cells of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are graded 1 to 4 by how fast they tend to grow. See the glossary cells. It worked better than ONC201 across the tumor models the team used. It damaged the tumor cells' energy centers, called mitochondria. The damage was worse in tumors with an IDH gene change: A small change in a tumor's IDH gene. Tumors with this change often grow more slowly and may respond to different treatments. Your pathology report says whether your tumor has it. See the glossary than in tumors without one.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: TR107 may be worth testing in people who have IDH gene change: A small change in a tumor's IDH gene. Tumors with this change often grow more slowly and may respond to different treatments. Your pathology report says whether your tumor has it. See the glossary glioma: A tumor that starts in the glial cells, the support cells of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are graded 1 to 4 by how fast they tend to grow. See the glossary. It is a possible new option that researchers can now study further. Right now it is a lead, not a treatment.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean TR107 is available to patients. It has not been tested in people at all. This was lab and animal work, which is the earliest stage of research. Many drugs that kill tumor cells in a dish do not help people. This is not a promise of a cure. Ask your own care team about your treatment options.
Source: PubMed, July 14, 2026 · Read the original
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