Background:
Cancer is a prevalent disease in the world and is becoming more widespread as
time goes on. Advanced and more effective chemotherapeutics need to be developed for the treatment
of cancer to keep up with this prevalence. Repurposing drugs is an alternative to discover new chemotherapeutics.
Clioquinol is currently being studied for reposition as an anti-cancer drug.
Objective:
This study aimed to summarize the anti-cancer effects of clioquinol and its derivatives
through a detailed literature and patent review and to review their potential re-uses in cancer treatment.
Methods:
Research articles were collected through a PubMed database search using the keywords
“Clioquinol” and “Cancer.” The keywords “Clioquinol Derivatives” and “Clioquinol Analogues” were
also used on a PubMed database search to gather research articles on clioquinol derivatives. Patents
were gathered through a Google Patents database search using the keywords “Clioquinol” and “Cancer.”
Results:
Clioquinol acts as a copper and zinc ionophore, a proteasome inhibitor, an anti-angiogenesis
agent, and is an inhibitor of key signal transduction pathways responsible for its growth-inhibitory activity
and cytotoxicity in cancer cells preclinically. A clinical trial conducted by Schimmer et al., resulted
in poor outcomes that prompted studies on alternative clioquinol-based applications, such as new
combinations, new delivery methods, or new clioquinol-derived analogues. In addition, numerous patents
claim alternative uses of clioquinol for cancer therapy.
Conclusion:
Clioquinol exhibits anti-cancer activities in many cancer types, preclinically. Low therapeutic
efficacy in a clinical trial has prompted new studies that aim to discover more effective clioquinol-
based cancer therapies.
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