Background
Ivermectin is a macrocyclic lactone from avermectins produced by Streptomyces avermitilis. William C. Campbell and Satoshi Ōmura received the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for avermectin/ivermectin against river blindness and lymphatic filariasis.
Why cancer interest?
Independent labs report that IVM can inhibit proliferation, affect apoptosis/autophagy and modulate pathways active in tumors (Wnt/β-catenin, Akt/mTOR, PAK1, P-gp/MDR). Mostly D preclinical.
Key reviews
-
E Tang et al., 2021Ivermectin, a potential anticancer drug derived from an antiparasitic drug. Pharmacol Res.
-
E Robalino et al., 2025Ivermectin as an Alternative Anticancer Agent… Pharmaceuticals.
Clinical studies & registries
| ID | Focus | Phase | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| R NCT05318469 | IVM + balstilimab or pembrolizumab in metastatic triple-negative breast cancer | I/II | ClinicalTrials.gov |
| B ASCO 2025 interim | n=9 (8 evaluable): 1 PR, 1 SD, 6 PD; median PFS 2.5 mo; combination judged safe | abstract | ASCO |
| R NCT07487805 | ICONIC — IVM + checkpoint inhibition in solid tumors (~80 pts, 200 vs 400 µg/kg) | II | ClinicalTrials.gov |
Mechanisms (preclinical — selection)
- D WNT–TCF inhibition (Melotti 2014) — DOI
- D PAK1/Akt/mTOR autophagy in breast cancer (Dou 2016) — DOI
- D Immunogenic cell death + anti-PD-1 in mice (Draganov 2021) — DOI
- D Synergy with gemcitabine, cisplatin, doxorubicin, paclitaxel, bortezomib in animal models
Real-world observation
-
B Hulscher et al., 2026 — IVM + mebendazoleReal-world Clinical Outcomes of Ivermectin and Mebendazole in Cancer Patients…
High self-reported clinical benefit and tolerability. Limitation: self-report, concurrent therapies, no RCT control.
Safety (approved use vs experimental oncology)
- Long, well-documented safety at approved antiparasitic doses.
- Oncology doses/schedules/combinations are not the same evidence base.
- Avoid veterinary formulations as human medicine.
Bottom line IVM × cancer
Strong preclinical signal and growing review literature; human evidence still early. This page is a map to originals — not a treatment protocol.