Ldn Pharma Limited

Wai Lui

Angus Dalgleish

An in vitro method for identifying an anti-cancer agent, the therapeutic efficacy of which is enhanced upon administration with a second agent that increases the expression of OPRK1 and/or BAD, comprising the steps of:

Assay to identify anti-cancer agents

It has been found by the present inventors that agents that boost the expression of the opioid receptor kappa 1 (OPRK1) can enhance the cytotoxicity of chemotherapeutic agents in multiple cancer cell lines. Furthermore, the effect is dose dependent, where the greater the induced expression of OPRK1, the greater the cytotoxicity of the chemotherapeutic agent. The increase in overall cytotoxicity is independent of the cytotoxicity of the agent that increases the expression of OPRK1, which itself has no or minimal cytotoxic effect.

Agent that increases the expression of the opioid kappa 1 for the treatment of cancer

The invention is based on the finding that co-administration of 6-&#x3b2;-naltrexol alongside vitamin D together with a chemotherapeutic agent, results in a further reduction in lung cancer cell growth. The combination of 6-&#x3b2;-naltrexol with vitamin D results in a greater decrease in the growth of cancer cells compared to the sum of the effects of each agent when administered in isolation.

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Greater London, United Kingdom

Wai Lui