Papareddy, Praveen;
Mielke, Sophie RM;
Graham, Marlowe;
Bachmann, Dennis;
Proschak, Ewgenij;
Wichelhaus, Thomas A;
Sander, Kerstin;
(2025)
Rediscovering nitroxoline: a metal-chelating agent bridging infection and cancer.
Drug Discovery Today
, 30
(8)
, Article 104419. 10.1016/j.drudis.2025.104419.
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Abstract
Nitroxoline, a legacy antimicrobial agent, is gaining attention for its potential repurposing in infectious diseases and oncology. Its broad-spectrum activity, including biofilm disruption and metal-chelating properties, supports diverse therapeutic applications. However, its systemic use is limited by rapid urinary excretion, short plasma half-life, and limited tissue distribution. In this review, we summarize recent advances in understanding the mechanisms of action, cross-kingdom activity, and anticancer effects of nitroxoline. Despite encouraging preclinical data, clinical translation is constrained by pharmacokinetic (PK) and regulatory challenges. As interest in repurposing established drugs grows, nitroxoline presents a compelling candidate for integration into modern therapeutic strategies across infectious and neoplastic disease domains.
| Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Title: | Rediscovering nitroxoline: a metal-chelating agent bridging infection and cancer |
| Location: | England |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.1016/j.drudis.2025.104419 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drudis.2025.104419 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License. The images or other third-party material in this article are included in the Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ |
| Keywords: | Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Pharmacology & Pharmacy, nitroxoline, drug repurposing, antimicrobial resistance, metal chelation, biofilm disruption, cancer therapy, pharmacokinetics, GROWTH |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Maths and Physical Sciences > Dept of Chemistry |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10212855 |
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