carboxymethyl chitosan + norcantharidin

Carboxymethyl chitosan + norcantharidin (CMCS-NCTD) is a polymer-drug conjugate developed to enhance the therapeutic efficacy and safety profile of norcantharidin (NCTD), a demethylated analogue of cantharidin derived from the traditional Chinese medicine blister beetle (*Mylabris*). By covalently linking NCTD to the water-soluble biopolymer carboxymethyl chitosan, the conjugate improves the solubility and pharmacokinetic properties of the drug while significantly mitigating its characteristic nephrotoxicity and systemic toxicity. CMCS-NCTD exerts anti-tumor effects by inhibiting cell proliferation, inducing apoptosis, and suppressing tumor angiogenesis through the downregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), alongside the upregulation of TIMP-1 and E-cadherin. Preclinical studies in hepatocellular carcinoma, gastric cancer, and lung cancer models have demonstrated its potential as a liver-protective anti-tumor agent with a tumor suppression rate of approximately 60% in mouse models.

Other names

norcantharidin-conjugated carboxymethyl chitosanNCTD-CMCS