Wertman, J. N. et al. eLife 9, e56235 (2020)

Cisplatin, a chemotherapy drug used to treat several types of cancer, is associated with oto- and nephrotoxicity. Unfortunately, few pharmacological options are available to protect against these adverse effects.

A new study used a two-pronged screen based on an in vitro nephrotoxicity assay using human proximal tubule cells and an in vivo ototoxicity assay using the zebrafish lateral line system—a superficial sensory organ comprised of mechanosensory hair cells that are similar to mammalian hair cells in the cochlea—to identify protective agents. A total of 1280 compounds were tested, and 22 drugs were identified as being both oto- and nephroprotective during cisplatin exposure.

Additional experiments in other models will be needed before moving these compounds into human trials.