Mebendazole’s recent literature is dominated by drug-repurposing research in cancer, especially brain tumors, colorectal cancer, ovarian cancer, lung cancer, and breast cancer, alongside newer work on formulations that improve its poor solubility/bioavailability and a smaller set of studies on infectious disease or parasitology applications [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6].
Bottom line
The most recent and most active mebendazole research direction is oncology, where the drug is being studied as a multi-target repurposed anticancer agent and increasingly paired with nanocarriers or combination therapy to overcome its poor bioavailability [1] [6] [8] [11] [24]. The clinical signal is encouraging in a few small studies, but the best brain-tumor review still concludes that efficacy in patients is modest and inconclusive overall [1] [7].
Confidence level: High — the evidence base is large, recent, and internally consistent on the main themes of oncology repurposing, formulation improvement, and persistent limitations in clinical translation [1] [7] [8] [24].
References
Blum, C.B., McMenamin, M., Khoo, T., (...), O’Callaghan, L.A. (2026) From anthelmintic to neuro-oncology: A systematic review of mebendazole repurposing for brain tumour therapy. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. https://doi.org/10.1002/bcp.70565
Patel, R.D., Patel, A.S., Patel, H.J., (...), Patel, K. (2024) Development of rapidly soluble mebendazole nanosuspension for colorectal cancer. Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jddst.2023.105276
Atia, N.M., Abdallah, O.Y., Hazzah, H.A., (...), Barakat, H.S. (2025) Preliminary assessment of repurposed mebendazole nano-systems for passive targeting and potential treatment of bone metastasis. Pharmaceutical Development and Technology. https://doi.org/10.1080/10837450.2025.2574082
Mansoori, S., Fryknäs, M., Alvfors, C., (...), Nygren, P. (2021) A phase 2a clinical study on the safety and efficacy of individualized dosed mebendazole in patients with advanced gastrointestinal cancer. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-88433-y
El Halawany, M., Sharaky, M., Aziz, D. (2025) Stearyl amine tailored spanlastics embedded within tetronic® nanogel for boosting the repurposed anticancer potential of mebendazole: formulation, in vitro profiling, cytotoxicity assessment, and in vivo permeation analysis. DARU, Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40199-025-00560-3
Tamma, M.A., Nsairat, H., El-Tanani, M., Madi, R. (2024) In vitro evaluation of lipidic nanocarriers for mebendazole delivery to improve anticancer activity. Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy. https://doi.org/10.1080/03639045.2024.2428405
Gallia, G.L., Holdhoff, M., Brem, H., (...), Riggins, G.J. (2021) Mebendazole and temozolomide in patients with newly diagnosed high-grade gliomas: Results of a phase 1 clinical trial. Neuro-Oncology Advances. https://doi.org/10.1093/noajnl/vdaa154
Hegazy, S.K., El-Azab, G.A., Zakaria, F., (...), El-Ghoneimy, R.A. (2022) Mebendazole; from an anti-parasitic drug to a promising candidate for drug repurposing in colorectal cancer. Life Sciences. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lfs.2022.120536
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2073440925000539
Gupta, R., Begum, Y., Ghosh, D., Swarnakar, S. (2026) Girdin silencing enhances mebendazole-mediated anticancer activity: a combinatorial therapeutic strategy for ovarian cancer. Medical Oncology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12032-025-03210-5
Abu-Hdaib, B., Nsairat, H., El-Tanani, M., (...), Hasasna, N. (2024) In vivo evaluation of mebendazole and Ran GTPase inhibition in breast cancer model system. Nanomedicine. https://doi.org/10.2217/nnm-2023-0351
Joe, N.S., Wang, Y., Oza, H.H., (...), Gilkes, D.M. (2023) Mebendazole Treatment Disrupts the Transcriptional Activity of Hypoxia-Inducible Factors 1 and 2 in Breast Cancer Cells. Cancers. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers15041330
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1932620325079908
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2632249821000163
Fiedler, W., Freisleben, F., Wellbrock, J., Kirschner, K.N. (2022) Mebendazole’s Conformational Space and Its Predicted Binding to Human Heat-Shock Protein 90. Journal of Chemical Information and Modeling. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jcim.2c00290
Jo, S.B., Sung, S.J., Choi, H.S., (...), Joe, Y.A. (2022) Modulation of Autophagy is a Potential Strategy for Enhancing the Anti-Tumor Effect of Mebendazole in Glioblastoma Cells. Biomolecules and Therapeutics. https://doi.org/10.4062/biomolther.2022.122
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1422006721006569
Mansoori, S., Blom, K., Andersson, C., (...), Nygren, P. (2026) Characterization of the anticancer effect of mebendazole and its interaction with standard cytotoxic drugs in patient tumor cells ex vivo and in an in vivo mouse model. Oncology Reports. https://doi.org/10.3892/or.2025.9014
da Silva, E.L., Pantoja Mesquita, F., da Rocha Lima, P.V., (...), Montenegro, R.C. (2026) Mebendazole impairs the expression and function of enzymes in nucleotide metabolism pathways, leading to Selective Cytotoxicity, Cell Cycle Arrest, and Damage to Cell Morphology in Gastric Cancer. Chemico-Biological Interactions. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbi.2026.111973
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2073436021027557
Ding, C., Ding, Y., Xu, Z., (...), Xu, S. (2025) Preparation and pharmacokinetic study of mebendazole complex with HP-beta-cyclodextrin. Frontiers in Veterinary Science. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2025.1611154
Minda, D., Mioc, A., Banciu, C., (...), Trandafirescu, C. (2021) Cyclodextrin dispersion of mebendazole and flubendazole improves in vitro antiproliferative activity. Processes. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr9122185
Studenovský, M., Rumlerová, A., Kostka, L., Etrych, T. (2021) Hpma-based polymer conjugates for repurposed drug mebendazole and other imidazole-based therapeutics. Polymers. https://doi.org/10.3390/polym13152530
Studenovský, M., Rumlerová, A., Kovářová, J., (...), Kovář, M. (2022) HPMA Copolymer Mebendazole Conjugate Allows Systemic Administration and Possesses Antitumour Activity In Vivo. Pharmaceutics. https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics14061201
Kabatende, J., Barry, A., Mugisha, M., (...), Aklillu, E. (2023) Efficacy of Single-Dose Albendazole for the Treatment of Soil-Transmitted Helminthic Infections among School Children in Rwanda—A Prospective Cohort Study. Pharmaceuticals. https://doi.org/10.3390/ph16020139
Sisay, M., Damtie, D., Jember, T. (2024) Efficacy of albendazole against soil-transmitted helminth infections in Ethiopia: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Scientific Reports. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-71308-3
Gray, D.J., Du, Z., Mationg, M.L., (...), Williams, G.M. (2026) Efficacy of two rounds of albendazole treatment on soil-transmitted helminths in schoolchildren, Yunnan Province, China. Nature Communications. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-64883-0
Tee, M.Z., Lee, S.C., Er, Y.X., (...), Lim, Y.A.L. (2022) Efficacy of triple dose albendazole treatment for soil-transmitted helminth infections. PLoS ONE. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0272821
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