Lab study finds a drug that slows pituitary tumor growth in mice
Original title: Dual-Target Inhibition of CDK5 and PBK in Pituitary Neuroendocrine Tumors: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Potential.
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 tumor cells and in mice, not in people.
The short version
In lab tests and in mice, an old drug slowed the growth of pituitary tumors.
What was studied. Scientists studied pituitary neuroendocrine tumors, called PitNETs. They looked at two proteins, CDK5 and PBK, in tumor cells, in patient tumor samples, and in mice with tumors.
What they found. The two proteins turn each other on. That loop helped tumor cells grow and spread into nearby tissue. In patient tumor samples, tumors with both switched-on proteins were more likely to be invasive. A computer search picked out an existing drug, proguanil hydrochloride. It slowed tumor cell growth in the dish and slowed tumor growth in mice.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: This points to a possible new target for treating pituitary tumors. The drug is already known, which can make it easier to study next. For now it is a lead for researchers to follow, not a treatment you can ask for.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean there is a new treatment. The work was done in cells and in mice, not in people with these tumors. Many drugs that work in mice do not work in people. It is not a cure, and it is a long way from everyday care.
Source: PubMed, July 31, 2026 · Read the original
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