Swedish researcher report on unexpected use of former cancer drug

Researchers at Sweden’s Lund University have unexpectedly discovered that an old cancer drug – zebularine - can be used to prevent rejection of transplanted tissue, reports EurekAlert. The researchers now have high hopes that their discovery could lead to new treatments for both transplant patients and patients with autoimmune diseases.

The researchers behind the study, which has been published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE, work at the Rausing Laboratory, Lund University, where they have conducted research on brain tumors over many years.

"Our group were studying the effects of the old tumor drug zebularine, developed in the USA in the 1960s, and by chance we discovered that it had completely unexpected effects on the immune system", says Leif Salford, Senior Professor of Neurosurgery.