# Artesunate enhances the efficacy of enzalutamide in advanced prostate cancer

## TL;DR

Artesunate, a malaria drug, can improve the effectiveness of enzalutamide in treating resistant prostate cancer by targeting c-Myc.

## Contribution

Artesunate is identified as a novel candidate to overcome enzalutamide resistance via c-Myc degradation.

## Key findings

- Artesunate enhances enzalutamide's efficacy by degrading c-Myc.
- c-Myc is significantly involved in enzalutamide resistance in prostate cancer.
- FDA-approved drug screening identified artesunate as a potential therapeutic strategy.

## Abstract

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the leading causes of death among men worldwide. Treatments targeting the androgen receptor pathway remain the standard therapy for PCa patients. Enzalutamide (ENZ), a second-generation androgen receptor inhibitor, was developed to treat castration-resistant prostate cancer. However, while patients initially respond to ENZ, drug resistance typically develops within a few months. Artesunate (ART), a semisynthetic derivative of the Artemisinin plant, is approved for antimalaria treatment. In this study, we conducted an FDA-approved drug screening and identified ART as a potential candidate for overcoming ENZ resistance in PCa. Mechanistically, ART induces the degradation of c-Myc, enhancing the efficacy of ENZ. Additionally, patient dataset analysis revealed that c-Myc plays a significant role in developing ENZ resistance. To summarize, these findings suggest a novel therapeutic strategy for ENZ-resistant prostate cancer.