Researchers from the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology and the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati have developed a new drug candidate designated as "RK-251." According to TASS, citing the Ministry of Science and Technology of India, this targeted solution activates exclusively inside cancer cells and may serve as an alternative to traditional chemotherapy, which often damages healthy tissue.

The mechanism of "RK-251" relies on sensing the elevated levels of reactive oxygen species characteristic of tumor cells. While remaining dormant in healthy tissue, the drug activates upon entering a cancer cell to release components that suppress proteins vital for tumor survival. During laboratory evaluations, the compound demonstrated high efficacy against aggressive forms of breast cancer. Furthermore, safety trials conducted on zebrafish embryos showed no evident signs of toxicity.

The drug currently remains in the laboratory testing phase, with additional clinical research required to assess its viability for human trials.