BUFFALO, N.Y., April 11 (UPI) -- U.S. researchers said a new drug may protect patients from the harmful effects of radiation used in treating cancer.
The drug CBLB502 was developed at Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, N.Y., in collaboration with Cleveland BioLabs, Inc., the cancer institute said Friday in a release.
Scientists said studies conducted at RPCI showed the drug prolonged survival and reduced radiation damage to bone marrow and gastrointestinal cells when given to animals before they received radiation therapy.
The study, published in the journal Science, said CBLB502 may allow doctors to use more aggressive treatment regimens. The report said the drug could also be used as a treatment following unintended radiation exposure.
"CBLB502, a member of the drug group we named protectants, showed strong protective efficacy as a single therapy and may be a valuable supplement to cancer radiation therapies and as a countermeasure to treat radiation injury following exposure to nuclear or radiological weapons," said RPCI's Andrei V. Gudkov, who invented the technology.
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