Cancer ResearchBlood Pressure Drug Telmisartan Supercharges Cancer-Fighting Power of PARP Inhibitors
Researchers at Dartmouth Cancer Center discovered that telmisartan, a widely used blood pressure medication, can dramatically improve the effectiveness of olaparib, a targeted cancer drug. Olaparib normally works best in tumors with specific DNA repair defects linked to BRCA gene mutations, limiting its usefulness. The study found telmisartan makes cancer cells more sensitive to olaparib regardless of their DNA repair status. It also triggers immune-boosting signals called type I interferons and lowers PD-L1, a protein cancers use to hide from the immune system. These combined effects suggest telmisartan could expand cancer treatment options significantly. Because it is inexpensive, oral, and already FDA-approved with a strong safety record, telmisartan is now being tested alongside olaparib in human clinical trials.
