Pharaoh's Curse Fungus Yields Potent Leukemia Treatment

Aspergillus flavus, notorious for its deadly spores in ancient tombs like King Tutankhamun's, has been reengineered by scientists into asperigimycins—compounds that effectively combat leukemia cells, rivaling existing FDA-approved drugs. ([sciencedaily.com](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250623072748.htm?utm_source=openai))
This transformation from a 'mummy's curse' to a medical marvel underscores nature's duality, as researchers harness the same fungus once blamed for archaeologists' deaths to develop targeted cancer therapies. ([popsci.com](https://www.popsci.com/health/cancer-pharoah-curse-fungus/?utm_source=openai))
Remarkably, asperigimycins exhibit potent effects against leukemia cells while sparing healthy tissues, marking a significant stride in precision oncology. ([sciencedaily.com](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2025/06/250623072748.htm?utm_source=openai))