Penfluridol as a Candidate of Drug Repurposing for Anticancer Agent.

ABSTRACT

Penfluridol has robust antipsychotic efficacy and is a first-generation diphenylbutylpiperidine. Its effects last for several days after a single oral dose and it can be administered once a week to provide better compliance and symptom control. Recently; strong antitumour effects for penfluridol were discovered in various cancer cell lines; such as breast; pancreatic; glioblastoma; and lung cancer cells via several distinct mechanisms. Therefore; penfluridol has drawn much attention as a potentially novel anti-tumour agent. In addition; the anti-cancer effects of penfluridol have been demonstrated in vivo results showed slight changes in the volume and weight of organs at doses tested in animals. This paper outlines the potential for penfluridol to be developed as a next-generation anticancer drug.