Biology professor Dos Sarbasov discussed the development of an anti-cancer drug, as reported by the government press service on December 2.
“We are continuing our work on the development of the anti-cancer drug DVC,” noted the drug developer, “we have obtained the necessary permits, produced our drug in Kazakhstan, and completed the first and second phases of clinical trials.” The tests are being conducted at the Kazakh Research Institute of Oncology and Radiology.
According to Sarbasov, a “small dose of the drug—0.3 grams” was used in the first stage, and now doctors are applying a double dose of 0.6 grams in combination with arsenic trioxide. “This development is targeted chemotherapy. We are attacking cancer cells that actively absorb glucose,” explained Dos Sarbasov, adding: “If this works, there will be a significant global impact.”
As previously explained by Minister of Higher Education and Science Sayasat Nurbek, the DVC drug disrupts the cell's nutrient cycle, which, with the help of arsenic, leads to cell death.
All 15 patients participating in the study have shown stabilization, meaning that the tumor did not grow during the treatment. “In one patient, the tumor shrank by 30%. When we received this data, we were very pleased, but this is just the initial effect,” said the researcher. “This indicates that the drug may work, but we need to see it through to the end.”
The patent for the drug is international, Sarbasov added, “it covers America and Europe.”
Biotechnologist Dos Sarbasov worked for 27 years in the USA, where he became known as one of the pioneers in discovering the role of a specific protein (MTOR) in cell growth and reproduction. The scientist then returned to Kazakhstan at the invitation of the Ministry of Education and Science, and he is currently the vice-president of the National Academy of Sciences of Kazakhstan and a professor of biology at NU (Nazarbayev University).