According to a news release from Hong Kong Baptist University, a six-month study found that a protein from the sharp-nosed viper’s venom reduced the size of colorectal tumors in mice by 28 percent within one month.
Initial tests on the protein, taken from the sharp-nosed viper venom, confirmed it can shrink colorectal tumors in mice by up to 28 percent in a month. Tumor growth is fueled by blood vessels until the tumor becomes too large to be supported. The tumor then releases angiogenic growth factors to promote further growth. The snake venom protein, named ZK002, has demonstrated the ability to inhibit these angiogenic growth factors in tests on mice with colorectal cancers. The study observed tumor shrinkage in 18 mice and improvements in hematocrit values, with no changes in mouse weight or outward adverse effects. The research team, led by Professor Wendy Hsiao, Associate Dean of the School of Chinese Medicine at Hong Kong Baptist University, received HK$3.9 million in funding from Hong Kong’s Innovation and Technology Fund and Lee’s Pharmaceutical to advance this research. The long-term goal is to develop a low-cost anti-cancer drug from snake venom that is highly effective and has minimal adverse effects on healthy cells.
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