Eye drops made from pig body fluid could revolutionize cancer treatment, new study says

Scientists in a recent breakthrough have developed revolutionary eye drops by using pig seminal fluid that can stop tumour growth in the retina and preserve vision.

According to the new research published in Science Advances, the researchers used mice for the study and found ground-breaking results when it comes to cancer-fighting abilities.

The mice treated with the eye drops showed signs of reduction in tumour growth along with preservation of eyesight compared to other animals.

The eye drops contain exosomes derived from pig semen, designed to carry molecules that kill cancer cells. According to researchers, these exosomes are uniquely capable of penetrating the eye’s protective barriers by opening "tight junctions" in corneal cells.

By loading these particles with a specialized nanozyme system and targeting them with folic acid, the team successfully stunted tumour growth in mice without damaging eyesight.

Chunxia Zhao, a researcher studying drug delivery and nanomedicine at Adelaide University in Australia, said this penetration breakthrough could improve drug delivery across the other barriers present in other diseases.

A promising hope for retinoblastoma

Given the promising efficacy of the drops, it is hoped that such revolutionary drops could treat retinoblastoma, a cancer of the retina.

Traditionally, cancer is treated with injections of drugs into the eye, laser therapy or chemotherapy. Such invasive methods also harm the non-cancerous parts of the eye.

The researchers also conducted a 30-day trial in rabbits that showed drops are safe to use even after month-long application. Some team members reported minor corneal irritation.

However, the research is currently a proof-of-concept. Long-term effects (beyond 30 days) and human efficacy remain unknown.

If successful in humans, the method would replace painful and invasive injections directly into the eyeball.