American scientists have developed a drug that can protect against the negative effects of radiation.

Scientists hope that this drug will make radiotherapy safer for people with cancer, and can also help in the event of a nuclear disaster. The drug, known as CBLB502 and so far only tested in animals, includes substances that help healthy cells survive in the event of a harmful radiation effect.

Researchers plan to check the results in clinical trials. The results of the study were published in the journal Science.

Radiation kills living cells and promotes apoptosis (a genetically directed process of self-destructing cells). In the process of radiotherapy, along with tumor cells, healthy cells that are located nearby can be killed. For this reason, physicians should determine the tumor area as accurately as possible.

Scientists have conducted a study in mice and monkeys.

Animals that received the drug in the period of 45 minutes and 24 hours before the impact of a lethal dose of radiation, survived or lived longer than animals that did not inject the drug, scientists said..

Animal studies have shown that CBLB502 is able to protect healthy cells in the bone marrow and digestive system against radiation and, according to scientists, the drug does not protect tumor cells that remain susceptible to treatment.

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