Wasp venom targets Breast Cancer in new therapy

Wasp venom may deliver a painful sting, but scientists from the Institute for Biomedical Research (IRB Barcelona) have carried out successful in vitro tests using the venom to kill breast cancer tumor cells, a new study describes. The next step will be to test its effectiveness in mouse models.
Most anti-tumor compounds are accompanied by a series of side effects and may even become resistant, but the IRB Barcelona team designed a new therapy based on a peptide - the binding of several amino acids - from wasp venom for its potential use against breast cancer.

"This peptide has the ability to form pores in the cell plasma membrane, penetrate into the cell and finally, cause its death, either by necrosis or by triggering apoptosis, programmed cell death," 
However, this "natural weapon" could not be directly used in the therapy due to its high toxicity and lack of cell specificity - meaning, it would not only attack tumor cells but healthy cells as well. So, the researchers came up with a way to deliver the venom to the tumor without causing harm to the body's healthy cells.
The system consists of a decorated carrier polymer with two components: a peptide that is bound to a tumor cell receptor and the cytotoxic peptide of the wasp venom.
In vitro experiments show that the substance successfully reaches and kills the tumor cells while leaving healthy cells, like red blood cells, alone.
Though the experiment is in its early stages and still has to undergo testing in mice, researchers are optimistic that these findings will be put toward anti-cancer therapy in the future.