Daohong Zhou and Guangrong Zheng of UF’s College of Pharmacy developed an anticancer drug that may inhibit a protein called BCL-XL that strengthens cancer cells’ resistance to therapy. It could also lower the risk of bleeding associated with other anticancer drugs.

The new drug, called DT2216, helps cells break down BCL-XL instead of merely suppressing it. The risk of bleeding is lower when taking DT2216 than it is with other anticancer drugs because it is less toxic to blood platelets. “These findings support the potential of DT2216 to be developed as a first-in-class BCL-XL-targeting antitumor agent,” says Zheng.

• Daohong Zhou
• Guangrong Zheng