GK & Current Affairs
Passage 1: India’s Smart Cancer Drug RK-251
On 19 August 2026, the Ministry of Science & Technology announced that Indian researchers have developed a new “smart” cancer drug called RK-251, designed to switch on and work primarily inside cancer cells while leaving healthy cells unharmed. The work is a collaboration led by Dr. Asis Bala of the Institute of Advanced Study in Science and Technology (IASST), Guwahati, along with IIT Guwahati. Unlike conventional chemotherapy that attacks all rapidly dividing cells, RK-251 uses a reactive oxygen species (ROS)-activated mechanism. Cancer cells typically have higher ROS levels than normal cells; the drug remains inert in healthy tissue but becomes active in the high-ROS environment of tumours. Early pre-clinical trials showed significant tumour shrinkage with reduced side effects. The development has been hailed as a potential breakthrough for affordable cancer therapy in India, where out-of-pocket health expenditure remains high. The drug is expected to enter clinical trials by late 2027, pending regulatory approvals from the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).
- The ROS-activated mechanism of RK-251 represents a paradigm shift from conventional chemotherapy. Which of the following best captures the therapeutic advantage of this approach in the Indian healthcare context?
(a) It eliminates the need for hospitalisation, thereby reducing infrastructure costs …………
Day 2 Practice Paper – CLAT 2027 Q&A <——– Click here
CLAT Official Website: https://consortiumofnlus.ac.in/clat-2027/