Unlocking nature’s pharmacy: how tea leaves and marine organisms could help transform breast cancer treatment
pharmafile | October 2, 2025 | Feature | Research and Development | King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Oncology, natural products chemistry, triple-negative breast cancer
Looking beyond synthetic chemistry to unlock powerful, naturally derived medicines
Each year, World Breast Cancer Awareness Month serves as a reminder of the immense progress made against this disease and of the work still ahead. While survival rates have improved in many parts of the world, triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains one of the most aggressive, treatment-resistant subtypes, disproportionately affecting younger women and driving urgent calls for new therapies.
At King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), we are working at the intersection of molecular biology, natural products chemistry and artificial intelligence (AI) to explore how nature’s own compounds, refined and optimised through modern science, can open new frontiers in cancer treatment. From tea leaves to Red Sea organisms, our research is part of a global shift towards diversifying drug discovery pipelines, looking beyond synthetic chemistry to unlock powerful, naturally derived medicines.
The triple-negative challenge
These new avenues, from tea leaves to marine organisms, could lead to solutions that are sorely needed for one of breast cancer’s toughest frontiers. TNBC accounts for only 10-15% of cases, yet it is responsible for a disproportionately high number of deaths. Unlike other forms of the disease, TNBC lacks the three receptors – estrogen, progesterone and HER2 – that many targeted therapies rely upon. This leaves few immunotherapy treatment options, with chemotherapy as the first-line therapy, which often carries severe side effects and is rarely curative.
Adding to the challenge is the regional disparity in disease onset. In the Middle East, for example, breast cancer tends to occur eight to 10 years earlier than the global average, meaning it often affects women at a much younger age (Al Zomia, 2024). This earlier onset may be linked to genetic factors that can influence how patients respond to treatment, further stressing the need for therapies tailored to diverse populations.
From tea leaves to targeted action
One promising avenue now under investigation could have its origin in an unexpected source. In collaboration with Iaterion, a biotech company based in San Francisco, California, our team has been studying a compound derived from tea leaves that shows remarkable potential against TNBC cells. Following two early stage clinical trials in women with metastatic breast cancer, receiving an extract of the leaves, few partial remissions were observed as well as delay in time to disease progression (Rugo H 2007, Perez A 2010). In preclinical lab studies, this naturally sourced molecule demonstrated complete elimination of TNBC cells under controlled conditions. While these results are early and not yet peer-reviewed, they suggest what might be possible when we combine centuries-old natural remedies with biomedical research.
The goal now is to refine the compound to maximise its efficacy and safety, taking it through the rigorous development pathway that leads from the laboratory bench to the patient’s bedside.
Nature’s pharmacy extends far beyond land-based plants. The Red Sea – one of the world’s most biodiverse marine environments – harbors algae, sponges and other organisms with unique chemical defenses honed over millions of years of evolution. Many of these natural compounds have never been studied for their potential medicinal applications.
The AI advantage in natural product discovery
At KAUST, we are using AI-powered screening tools to rapidly identify promising candidates from marine sources. By simulating how these compounds interact with the molecules that drive cancer growth, we can prioritise the most promising leads for laboratory testing.
One of the biggest challenges in drug discovery from natural products is the sheer scale of chemical diversity. Historically, researchers had to rely on slow, trial-and-error screening to identify active molecules, but AI is changing that. Machine-learning algorithms can now analyse vast data sets, predicting bioactivity and toxicity before a single physical test is carried out.
This computational acceleration means that what once took years can now take months or even weeks, reducing both the costs and the risks of pursuing ineffective or unsafe compounds. For conditions like TNBC, – where time is of the essence – such acceleration could be game-changing.
A call for global collaboration
While natural products offer immense promise, translating early findings into effective, approved treatments requires international collaboration. This includes sharing knowledge across regions, ensuring clinical trials are inclusive of genetically and geographically diverse patient populations and fostering partnerships between academia, industry and regulatory bodies.
KAUST’s international research collaborations reflect our belief that solving complex health challenges demands a global perspective. By combining the unique genetic insights of Middle Eastern populations with access to untapped marine resources and the technological power of AI, we can contribute to a richer, more inclusive pipeline of potential cancer therapies.
The fight against TNBC and other aggressive cancers will not be won by a single breakthrough. It will require a sustained commitment to exploring every possible therapeutic avenue: synthetic, natural and hybrid.
Natural products have given us some of the most important medicines in history, from antibiotics to chemotherapy agents. With the right blend of modern technology and international cooperation, they may yet yield the next generation of cancer treatments.
With October being Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it is worth remembering that the answers we seek may be growing quietly in a tea leaf, hidden in a marine sponge or waiting in a database for an AI model to find them. The key for the global scientific community is to keep looking and to do so together.
References:
1. Giaquinto AN, Sung H, Newman LA, et al. Breast cancer statistics 2024. CA Cancer J Clin. 2024;74(6):477–495. doi: 10.3322/caac.21863
2. Yin L., Duan J. J., Bian X. W., Yu S. C. (2020). Triple-negative Breast Cancer Molecular Subtyping and Treatment Progress. Breast Cancer Res. 22, 61–13. 10.1186/s13058-020-01296-5
3. Tsai J., Bertoni D., Hernandez-Boussard T., Telli M. L., Wapnir I. L. (2016). Lymph Node Ratio Analysis after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Is Prognostic in Hormone Receptor-Positive and Triple-Negative Breast Cancer. Ann. Surg. Oncol. 23, 3310–3316. 10.1245/s10434-016-5319-8
4. Al Zomia AS, et al. Tracking the epidemiological trends of female breast cancer in Saudi Arabia since 1990 and forecasting future statistics using global burden of disease data, time-series analysis. BMC Public Health. 2024 Jul 22;24(1):1953.
5. Rugo H, Phase I trial and antitumor effects of BZL101 for patients with advanced breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2007 Sep;105(1):17-28. doi: 10.1007/s10549-006-9430-6. Epub 2006 Nov 17.PMID: 17111207
6. Perez AT, A phase 1B dose escalation trial of Scutellaria barbata (BZL101) for patients with metastatic breast cancer. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2010 Feb;120(1):111-8. doi: 10.1007/s10549-009-0678-5.PMID: 20054647
Author
Professor Imed Gallouzi is Chair of the Center of Excellence for Smart Health at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia.
This article featured in: October 2025 – The Pharmafile Brief
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