Repositioning Study of Flubendazole for Treating Lung Cancer and Meningoencephalitis Using an Oral Lipid Nanosystem

The study explores the potential of flubendazole (FLZ), a microtubule targeting agent (MTA), in treating lung cancer and cryptococcal meningitis using a nanoemulsion system. The nanoemulsion, developed using the D-phase emulsification method (DPE) and design of experiment (DoE), had a mean particle size of less than 100 nm and a high concentration of the oil phase (60.0% w/w). The nanoemulsion was found to increase the solubility and bioavailability of FLZ. In vivo trials showed efficacy of approximately 30% for treating cryptococcal meningitis and 100% for malignant wounds in lung cancer. The nanoemulsion's non-toxicity was demonstrated using an invertebrate model of Galleria mellonella. In vitro evaluation also indicated the superiority of the developed nanoemulsion compared to the drug in suspension or control. The study concludes that the nanoemulsion containing FLZ has potential as a new drug or adjuvant drug for treating cryptococcal meningitis and lung cancer.