Biricodar

Biricodar is an experimental drug that was investigated as a potential chemosensitizer. Chemosensitizers are agents designed to enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs in treating cancer. The primary mechanism of action proposed for biricodar involved inhibiting the function of P-glycoprotein (P-gp), also known as multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1).

P-gp is a transmembrane efflux pump that is often overexpressed in cancer cells. Its function is to pump various substances, including chemotherapy drugs, out of the cell, thereby reducing the intracellular concentration of the drug and making the cancer cells resistant to its effects. By inhibiting P-gp, biricodar aimed to increase the accumulation of chemotherapy drugs within cancer cells, thereby improving their effectiveness.

Clinical trials were conducted to evaluate the safety and efficacy of biricodar in combination with various chemotherapy regimens in different types of cancer. However, the development of biricodar was ultimately discontinued due to unfavorable results in clinical trials, including a lack of significant improvement in patient outcomes and the potential for adverse side effects. Therefore, biricodar is not currently an approved drug for cancer treatment. Research interest remains in overcoming multidrug resistance using alternative strategies.