Researchers at the Heart Research Institute (HRI) have made a new discovery, finding an existing drug used to kill tumor cells in cancer patients could also be used to save the limbs of patients with blocked arteries in their legs.

A pre-clinical study by HRI’s Center for Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) has found Conatumumab can effectively treat PAD, a vascular disorder that causes abnormal narrowing of lower limb arteries, by effectively growing new blood vessels, bypassing the blockage and restoring blood flow in affected parts of the body.

The research paper has been published in Science Advances.

Dr. Siân Cartland from HRI’s Center for PAD and research paper lead author, says this breakthrough could save limbs and lives.

“We often refer to PAD as the lesser cousin of heart attack and stroke because we know so much less about it and as a result treatments have been less advanced,” Dr. Cartland said.

“The surprising finding that a drug developed to kill cancer cells can restore blood flow in areas affected by PAD gives us brand new hope of reversing the disease.”

PAD is a type of cardiovascular disease that affects one in five older Australians and is responsible for one limb amputation every two hours. Currently there is no treatment to stop the disease, with the best option for patients slowing its progression.

Assoc Prof Mary Kavurma, who leads the HRI’s Center for PAD, says the pre-clinical discovery paves the way to move quickly into human trials.

“The drug was tested in preclinical models of PAD and in vitro in cells, and arteries collected from PAD patients who had undergone amputation.

“All the toxicology and safety studies for this drug have already been done as a cancer drug, which is a big hurdle we won’t have to overcome,” Assoc Prof Kavurma explained.

“Knowing that the drug is safe for use in patients means we could now move very quickly to the next stage of research.”

The breakthrough is part of HRI’s ongoing commitment to addressing PAD, following the launch of the Center for PAD earlier in 2024. This Center, in collaboration with the Royal Prince Alfred and Concord Repatriation Hospitals as well as The University of Sydney, serves as a major hub for PAD research, recruitment, outreach and mentoring.