The Vitalius wacketi spider is native to the coast of São Paulo and belongs to the same family as tarantulas, Theraphosidae. 
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According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer is the second leading cause of death worldwideresponsible for approximately 9.6 million deaths in 2018 alone. Several studies have been conducted to find therapeutic alternatives (and even a cure) for this disease.
And now a new hope is emerging: As part of joint research, scientists from the Butantan Institute and the Societe Beneficente Israelita Brasileira have discovered Albert Einstein a molecule in the venom of the spider Vitalius wacketi with the potential to treat cancer. The arachnid lives on the coast of the state of São Paulo (Brazil).
How is spider venom promising in treating cancer?
The corresponding molecule (a polyamine) is obtained from the venom of the crab spider Vitalius wacketi, which belongs to the same family as tarantulas, Theraphosidae. These molecules were isolated, purified and synthesized, resulting in this promising compound.
The substance was synthesized in Butantan's laboratory and purified by Einstein (removing all impurities and enhancing its effects). It successfully eliminated leukemia cells, a tumor that affects certain blood cellsduring in vitro testing, as well as leukemia cells that are resistant to chemotherapy.
The molecule found in the venom of the Brazilian spider Vitalius wacketi offers hope for cancer treatment as it was able to eliminate leukemia cells in in vitro tests.
This substance has several positive points. The difference is that the tumor cells successfully die through apoptosis (programmed death) and not through necrosis, ie The cell destroys itself in a controlled manner without triggering an inflammatory reaction. And that's an advantage because generally more traditional oncological treatments cause necrosis.
“Death by necrosis is an unprogrammed death in which the cell collapses, leading to a significant inflammatory state. “During apoptosis, the tumor cell signals to the immune system that it is dying and then eliminates the cell fragments,” explains Einstein researcher Thomaz Rocha e Silva.
One of the advantages of this substance is that, due to its low molecular weight, there is no problem of immunogenicity – when a foreign substance present in the body triggers a response from the immune system – said Pedro Ismael da Silva Junior, scientist at the Butantan Institute. Laboratory of Applied Toxicology.
Over and beyond, Another advantage is that the new molecule is small and the synthesis process is much simpler and cheaper than other available moleculeswhich can make access to the product easier.
the next steps
The molecule was obtained through an innovative production process, which is the result of many years of studyDue to its great potential, it has been patented by institutions. The idea is to license this technology to a company capable of producing the substance on a large scale and developing tests on animals – and in the future on humans if they prove safe and efficient. From now on, Institutions are seeking partnerships with the pharmaceutical industry to secure the investments required for further development.
“We have already identified potential interested parties and are in contact with certain companies. This could speed up the study so that it becomes a product and gets to patients more quickly ” said Cristiano Gonçalves, Innovation Director of Butantan.
According to scientists This discovery is already mature enough to go through new stages of development. In the next steps, they will conduct tests on lung and bone cancer cells. In addition, the technology is being studied on healthy human cells to confirm that it is non-toxic, that is, whether it is selective and only harms cancer cells.
News reference:
Butantan portal. “In joint research, Butantan and Einstein discovered a substance in spider venom that has potential against cancer cells“, 2024.