In a much-warranted step, a prospective drug for tackling lung cancer is being developed by scientists at the Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre and the Maurice Wilkins research centre. After PR509 was discovered, under a deal between Japanese pharmaceutical company Yakult Honsha and American biotechnology company Proacta, drug, called PR610, is being seen as a potential treatment for lung cancer.

The drugs are reported to have been experimented for non-small-cell lung cancer, which so far has been resistant to established treatments in the field of medicines.

To be licensed to Proacta, the drug is reported to keep healthy tissue safe by activating only in the "hypoxic" parts of tumours – the part devoid of oxygen. The drugs are reported to stay for a longer duration in tumors, thereby targeting human epidermal growth factor receptors.

Earlier, one of the researchers, Dr. Jeff Smaill has said: “By preventing toxicity in healthy tissues and achieving long residency and slow release within cancerous tissue, we can deliver much more drug to a tumour than is possible with standard chemotherapy”.

Moreover, John Loof, Chief Executive of the Cancer Society's Auckland division, has appreciated the team work of the Auckland University-linked researchers for developing such remarkable drugs.