Oceans: A 'Blue Pharmacy' Yielding Anti-Cancer Drugs and More

The world's oceans are increasingly recognized as a 'blue pharmacy,' providing a rich source of compounds for developing life-saving medicines, especially anti-cancer drugs. One striking example is Dolastatin 10, a molecule extracted from the marine mollusk Dolabella auricularia. This compound has served as the prototype for an entire class of anti-cancer drugs called Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADCs).

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The creatures of the sea, the biodiversity, produce biologically active molecules that are fascinating from a research perspective. Sometimes we don't understand why such complex molecules can be useful to marine species, and this makes the research fascinating.

Currently, over 36 ADCs that contain analogs of Dolastatin 10 are undergoing preclinical and clinical development. These are being evaluated in more than 200 human clinical trials, underscoring the significant impact of marine-derived compounds on modern medicine. Luca Lucentini, director of the National Center for Water Safety at the Italian National Institute of Health, highlighted the fascinating nature of these discoveries.

"The creatures of the sea, the biodiversity, produce biologically active molecules that are fascinating from a research perspective," Lucentini stated at the International Forum on Oceans and Human Health in Rome. He added, "Sometimes we don't understand why such complex molecules can be useful to marine species, and this makes the research fascinating."

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the SeaCare project is finding genes of antimicrobial resistance in unexpected zones: it is as if - Lucentini added - marine microorganisms develop the same genes that terrestrial microorganisms develop and we are asking ourselves why.

Beyond cancer treatments, research is also focused on antimicrobial resistance. The SeaCare project is identifying antimicrobial resistance genes in unexpected marine environments. Lucentini noted that marine microorganisms appear to be developing the same resistance genes found in terrestrial microbes, prompting questions about the underlying reasons. Furthermore, the impact of climate change on the ocean's pharmaceutical potential is a critical area of study. Lucentini explained that some molecules are naturally produced by organisms like algae to manage overpopulation, and climate-driven environmental changes could affect the production rates of these vital compounds.

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From a natural point of view, some of these molecules are created, for example, by algal populations to manage overpopulation. Therefore - Lucentini concluded - if these drifts are driven by climate or by environmental changes, there is a greater or lesser production depending on this.