"Promising Drug Candidate Shrinks Kidney Cysts"
Researchers at MIT and Yale University School of Medicine have discovered that a compound originally developed as a potential cancer treatment shows promise for treating autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) by exploiting kidney cyst cells’ vulnerability to oxidative stress. The drug, 11beta-dichloro, dramatically shrank kidney cysts in mouse models without harming healthy kidney cells. A "defanged" version of the compound, 11beta-dipropyl, was also found to be effective and potentially safer for use in humans. The treatment could significantly delay disease progression and avoid the need for continuous therapies, offering a new potential treatment paradigm for ADPKD.