Glioblastoma is a tough-to-treat brain tumor. Study shows that intranasal nanoencapsulated ivermectin (IVM-NC) significantly shrinks tumors in rats, improves tissue health , and is well-tolerated at doses below the approved human antiparasitic level. IVM-NC offers a promising targeted therapy approach with potential for clinical use. Image Credit: ACS
A new preclinical study shows that intranasal nano-ivermectin can shrink glioblastoma brain tumours in rats by about 70% without causing any harmful side effects. This could be an exciting step toward new treatments for this aggressive cancer .
In the study, rats with glioblastoma tumours received tiny capsules of ivermectin through the nose for 10 days at a dose lower than the approved human dose for parasites. Other forms of ivermectin, like the regular drug or silica-based particles, did not shrink the tumours, showing that the nanocapsule delivery was key.
The treatment not only made tumours smaller but also reduced damage, swelling, and abnormal blood vessel growth, making the tumours less aggressive . The rats remained healthy, with no signs of toxicity in the liver, kidneys, lungs, or blood, and their weight stayed normal.
Ivermectin works in many ways against cancer, including blocking cancer cell growth signals, stressing cancer cell mitochondria, and preventing cancer stem cells from spreading . The nano-delivery system helps the drug reach the brain effectively, which is normally very hard for medicines to do.
While this research is still in animals, it offers hope that intranasal nano- ivermectin could become a safe and effective treatment for glioblastoma in the future. Human trials will be needed to confirm these results.
Reference: Velho, M. C., Beck, R. C. R., & et al. (2025). Intranasal delivery of ivermectin nanosystems as an antitumor agent: Focusing on glioma suppression. ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsbiomaterials.5c00642