Atovaquone increases tumor oxygenation and inhibits hypoxic gene expression in NSCLC

Prof. Geoff Higgins

A study at the University of Oxford (UK) showed that the antimalarial drug atovaquone, a known mitochondrial inhibitor, increased NSCLC tumor oxygenation and inhibited hypoxic gene expression at the mRNA level. This is the first clinical evidence that targeting tumor mitochondrial metabolism can reduce hypoxia and produce relevant anti-tumor effects.