A fungus associated with serious lung infections and old “tomb curse†stories is being studied as a possible source of new cancer medicines.
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania isolated four previously undescribed compounds from Aspergillus flavus and tested modified versions against leukemia cells. One lipid-enhanced compound performed comparably to two long-used leukemia drugs in laboratory experiments.
The compounds, called asperigimycins, appear to interfere with microtubules, structures cancer cells need to divide. The team also identified a gene that helps the molecules enter leukemia cells, offering a possible tool for future drug design.
The results do not show that the compounds are ready for patients. Researchers said the next steps include animal studies and, if those are successful, clinical trials. The work was published in Nature Chemical Biology in June 2025.
Source: SciTechDaily and the University of Pennsylvania research summary, June 28, 2025.
