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Repurposing propranolol to improve cancer therapy in clinic: where are we?
  • +3
  • Yu Zhang,
  • Qian Hu,
  • Jing Ouyang,
  • Hanying Yi,
  • Howard McLeod,
  • Yijing He
Yu Zhang
1Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, China;2Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Central South University, China;3Engineering Research Center of Applied Technology of Pharmacogenomics, Ministry of Education, Central South University, China

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Qian Hu
1Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, China;2Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Central South University, China;3Engineering Research Center of Applied Technology of Pharmacogenomics, Ministry of Education, Central South University, China
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Jing Ouyang
1Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, China;2Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Central South University, China;3Engineering Research Center of Applied Technology of Pharmacogenomics, Ministry of Education, Central South University, China
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Hanying Yi
1Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, China;2Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Central South University, China;3Engineering Research Center of Applied Technology of Pharmacogenomics, Ministry of Education, Central South University, China
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Howard McLeod
Intermountain Healthcare
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Yijing He
1Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, China;2Hunan Key Laboratory of Pharmacogenetics, Central South University, China;3Engineering Research Center of Applied Technology of Pharmacogenomics, Ministry of Education, Central South University, China;4National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
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Abstract

Repurposing non-oncology drugs to improve cancer therapy has been increasingly attracting drug developers due to potentially lower costs and shorter timelines. Propranolol, a non-cardiac selective, lipophilic β-adrenergic receptor blocker used to treat hypertension, arrhythmia, and anxiety, has successfully been repurposed as first-line therapy for infantile hemangioma. Thereafter, accumulating preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated the safe and promising antitumor activity of propranolol to treat different types of human cancers. In this review, we have focused on summarizing the therapeutic potential of propranolol in both solid and hematologic malignancies. We have also discussed the current bottleneck of repurposing propranolol in cancer therapy. Taken together, these inspiring findings help to shed light on propranolol repurposing and future drug discovery.