Dr. Tran Thi Hien, a Vietnamese scientist at Lund University in Sweden, has developed a novel compound, alpha lactalbumin-oleic acid known as HAMLET/BAMLET, from a substance found in breast milk to kill cancer cells without harming healthy tissues or cells, local media reported.
Dr. Hien’s work builds upon the discovery made by Professor Catharina Svanborg’s team in 1995, which showed that this compound could selectively target and destroy cancer cells.
Since 2000, various research teams globally have raced to develop a stable form of HAMLET for cancer treatment, but only on a small scale. Dr. Hien and her colleagues have made a breakthrough by producing this compound on an industrial scale, allowing for the development of new cancer therapies.
The compound is unique because it is derived from alpha lactalbumin, a protein found in breast milk and cow’s milk, making it safe even for infants.
The preclinical studies have shown promising results in treating and preventing various cancers, including colorectal, liver, stomach, lung, breast, cervical, prostate, lymphoma, nasopharyngeal, oral, and skin cancers. Clinical trials for bladder cancer (Phase 3) and malignant brain tumors (Phase 1) have already been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Dr. Hien plans to bring this technology to Vietnam to develop affordable cancer drugs, providing a cost-effective alternative to imported treatments.
(VnExpress [1])