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Neurosurgery

Biophysics Researchers Patent Potent Mito-ATO for Treatment of Cancer and Infectious Disease

April 24, 2026

Balaraman Kalyanaraman, PhD, Harry R. & Angeline E. Quadracci Professor in Parkinson’s Research, and Gang Cheng, PhD, assistant professor, in the Department of Biophysics, as well as Micael Hardy, PhD, of Aix-Marseille Université, France, are inventors on MCW’s recently awarded US Patent 12,594,283 B2 for Mitochondria-Targeted Atovaquone: A More Potent and Effective Antitumor, Antimicrobial, and Antimalarial Drug.

Atovaquone (ATO) is the only FDA-approved antimalarial drug targeting mitochondrial complex III in Plasmodium falciparum. Currently, ATO is undergoing clinical trials for treating cancer. The Biophysics team has developed a modified form of ATO (mitochondria-targeted ATO, or Mito-ATO) that targets mitochondrial complex III more effectively at a target site different from that of ATO. Computational studies support the experimental results. Mito-ATO and related analogs selectively inhibit mitochondrial respiration and oxidative phosphorylation in breast cancer and pancreatic cancer cells at concentrations nearly 100-times lower than ATO.

Thanks to the MCW Office of Technology Development for facilitating the effort that led to this patent.

Tagged: Biophysics Research – Basic Sciences Technology Development

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