FDA-Approved Cancer Drug May Treat Drug-Resistant Herpes

UIC researchers find doxorubicin can block drug-resistant herpes, offering a fast path to new treatments.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 8:07pm

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A translucent, ghostly X-ray image showing the intricate internal structure of a herpes virus particle, conceptually illustrating the biological mechanisms that researchers are targeting with a novel antiviral approach.An X-ray view of the internal structure of a herpes virus particle, offering a glimpse into the complex biology that researchers are working to disrupt with a repurposed cancer drug.Chicago Today

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have found that doxorubicin, an FDA-approved chemotherapy medicine, can block drug-resistant herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infections in early studies. The discovery offers hope for patients who face limited treatment options when standard antivirals stop working, as doxorubicin targets a pathway inside human cells that the virus depends on to infect and spread.

Why it matters

HSV-1 infections can have serious, sometimes life-threatening consequences, especially in immunocompromised patients. Drug-resistant infections are difficult to treat and may lead to severe outcomes. This discovery of an existing FDA-approved drug that can block drug-resistant HSV-1 could provide a faster path to new treatments for this widespread and challenging infection.

The details

The research team found that doxorubicin, a chemotherapy drug used to treat various cancers, can consistently block infection across several HSV-1 strains, including those resistant to the standard antiviral drug acyclovir. Doxorubicin works differently than traditional antivirals - instead of attacking the virus directly, it targets a pathway inside human cells that the virus depends on to infect and spread. This host-based approach may also reduce the chance of resistance developing. The researchers also found that doxorubicin enhanced the effects of acyclovir, allowing for lower doses of the antiviral drug and potentially reducing side effects.

  • In 2024, Shukla's team developed a screening tool called HerpDock to identify existing drugs that may work against herpes infections.
  • The research team then evaluated how doxorubicin performed against HSV-1 in several experimental settings, including human cells, tissue models, and mice.

The players

Deepak Shukla

A virologist in the College of Medicine at the University of Illinois Chicago who led the research team.

Pankaj Sharma

A postdoctoral researcher and first author of the study.

Divya Kapoor

A graduate student researcher at the University of Illinois Chicago and coauthor of the study.

University of Illinois Chicago

The institution where the research was conducted.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration

The regulatory agency that has already approved doxorubicin for use as a cancer treatment.

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What they’re saying

“This opens up an unexpected, potentially fast-moving path toward treating drug-resistant herpes infections. HSV-1 infections have serious, sometimes life-threatening consequences, and this drug may help save lives.”

— Deepak Shukla, Virologist, University of Illinois Chicago

“We were excited when we realized that doxorubicin is already FDA-approved. That matters because its safety profile and dosing are already well-understood. This drug could reach clinicians and patients much faster than a brand-new discovery.”

— Deepak Shukla, Virologist, University of Illinois Chicago

“We were excited to see how doxorubicin halts the virus at its source.”

— Pankaj Sharma, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Illinois Chicago

“I enjoyed being a part of something that can really help people. This discovery has the potential to prevent herpes-related deaths and improve patient outcomes around the world, including for cancer patients who use doxorubicin.”

— Divya Kapoor, Graduate Student Researcher, University of Illinois Chicago

What’s next

If future clinical trials confirm these findings, the impact could be significant. Repurposing an FDA-approved drug means the path to patient use could be faster than developing a new medication from scratch. Doctors may soon have another option for treating infections that no longer respond to standard therapies.

The takeaway

This discovery of an existing FDA-approved cancer drug that can block drug-resistant herpes infections offers a promising new approach to treating a widespread and challenging viral infection. By targeting a pathway inside human cells that the virus depends on, doxorubicin may provide a faster and more effective treatment option, especially for immunocompromised patients who face the greatest risks from severe HSV-1 complications.