cordycepin (OVI-123) / OncoVista - LARVOL DELTA

The Velvet protein vea: a key positive regulator of growth and cordycepin biosynthesis in Cordyceps militaris. (PubMed, Microb Cell Fact) - No abstract available

Journal

Multi-pathway therapeutics in colorectal cancer: Targeting EMT, CSCs, and non-apoptotic cell death for drug resistance reversal. (PubMed, J Drug Target) - "Natural compounds (neferine, ajoene, baicalein, isoliensinine, curcumin analogs) and synthetic drugs (5-FU, oxaliplatin, irinotecan, norcantharidin, cordycepin) modulate EMT and trigger ferroptosis, cuproptosis, paraptosis, and autophagy...Simultaneous targeting of EMT, CR-CSC maintenance, and chemoresistance using multifunctional natural and synthetic agents represents a promising strategy in CRC therapy. Induction of alternative cell death pathways may improve response, minimize relapse, and enable combinatorial regimens for resistant tumors."

Journal • Review • Colorectal Cancer • Oncology • Solid Tumor • CDH17 • CTNNB1 • ERCC1 • FOS • GPX4 • HUWE1 • JAK2 • NANOG • POU5F1 • SOX2 • TGFB1

Integrated multi-omics and machine learning elucidate the pathogenic role of mitophagy in osteoarthritis and identify novel therapeutic strategies. (PubMed, Int Immunopharmacol) - "Our findings establish mitophagy impairment as a critical factor in OA pathogenesis and present cordycepin as a promising therapeutic option that targets mitochondrial quality control. This study lays the groundwork for future precision therapies aimed at degenerative joint disorders."

Journal • Immunology • Inflammation • Osteoarthritis • Pain • Rheumatology • ATG12 • MAP1LC3B

Noncovalent and precise loading of small molecule drugs on DNA nanocarriers. (PubMed, Nanoscale Horiz) - "As a proof of principle, we successfully loaded cordycepin into aptamer-functionalized DNA nanoparticles and achieved a significant therapeutic effect in melanoma-bearing mice. This approach expands the range of small molecule drugs that can be loaded onto DNA nanostructures, particularly benefiting the synergistic therapy that combines small molecule drugs with nucleic acid drugs."

Journal • Melanoma • Oncology • Solid Tumor

Study on the potential mechanism of Cordyceps militaris in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease via integrating metabolomics and network pharmacology. (PubMed, J Pharm Pharmacol) - "This study suggested that CM could ameliorate COPD by modulating linoleic acid metabolism and influencing IDH1 and CYP19A1, which would provide a scientific basis for the treatment of COPD with CM."

Journal • Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease • Immunology • Pulmonary Disease • Respiratory Diseases • CYP19A1 • IDH1

Associations of hypoglycemic medications, cordycepin and vaccination with clinical outcomes in diabetic kidney disease patients with COVID-19. (PubMed, Ren Fail) - "Among 642 DKD patients with COVID-19, 66.8% were treated with sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) at baseline, 36.9% with dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitors (DPP4i), 30.8% with metformin, and 36.4% with cordycepin. Compared with unvaccinated patients, multiple-dose COVID-19 vaccination was associated with reduced risks of adverse outcomes, including prolonged COVID-19 symptoms, pneumonia, decreased eGFR, and elevated blood glucose and HbA1c levels. In conclusion, pretreatment with SGLT2i, cordycepin, and multiple-dose COVID-19 vaccination was associated with reduced adverse outcomes among DKD patients with COVID-19."

Clinical data • Journal • Retrospective data • Diabetic Nephropathy • Infectious Disease • Nephrology • Novel Coronavirus Disease • Pneumonia • Renal Disease • Respiratory Diseases

Cordycepin Mitigates Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy by Promoting Microglial M2 Polarization via the IL-17a/IL-17RA/NF-κB Axis. (PubMed, Mol Neurobiol) - "Furthermore, it promoted polarization of microglia toward the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype. Collectively, these findings suggest that cordycepin alleviates SAE by modulating the gut-immune-brain axis, suppressing IL-17a/IL-17RA/NF-κB signaling, and enhancing microglial M2 polarization, thereby offering a promising therapeutic strategy for sepsis-related cognitive impairment."

Journal • Alzheimer's Disease • CNS Disorders • Cognitive Disorders • Infectious Disease • Inflammation • Septic Shock • IL17A • IL17RA

Evaluation of antidepressant and sleep-promoting effects of cordycepin in a menopause-like stress model. (PubMed, Biomed Pharmacother) - "These findings suggest that cordycepin exerts antidepressant and sleep-enhancing effects through multi-target modulation of neuroendocrine signaling, neurotransmitter systems, and circadian regulation. Given its efficacy, natural origin, and favorable safety profile, cordycepin emerges as a promising non-hormonal candidate for the management of menopausal mood and sleep disorders."

Journal • CNS Disorders • Depression • Mood Disorders • Psychiatry • Sleep Disorder • FOS

Novel double nanoemulsion loading of Cordyceps militaris extract: formulation, stability, in vitro digestion, and in vivo evaluation for regulation of acute lipid disorders. (PubMed, Food Funct) - "Cordyceps militaris, a medicinal mushroom, is valued for its bioactive compounds, particularly adenosine (ADE) and cordycepin (COR), which possess lipid-regulating properties...The in vivo findings demonstrate the potential of the Cordyceps militaris extract-loaded NCMs to effectively regulate acute lipid imbalances. This study provides valuable insights into a functional food and a novel approach for managing lipid disorders, warranting future research in chronic models and clinical trials."

Journal • Preclinical • Dyslipidemia • Gastrointestinal Disorder

New insights of rotenone targeting cordycepin synthetase 1-cordycepin synthetase 2-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (Cns1-Cns2-GAPDH) triple complex to enhance cordycepin synthesis in Cordyceps militaris. (PubMed, Int J Biol Macromol) - "Our study shows that the Cns1-Cns2-GAPDH triple complex regulates cordycepin synthesis in Cordyceps militaris. Rotenone enhances the metabolic flux of cordycepin biosynthesis pathway by enhancing the Cns1-Cns2-GAPDH interaction and its induced aerobic glycolysis."

Journal • GAPDH

Cordycepin enhances CTLA-4 blockade in colorectal cancer by regulating Eubacterium rectale (SITC 2025) - "Notably, enriched CD8+ T cell gene signatures (Rps2, Rps20) correlated with improved progression-free survival in clinical datasets (r=0.56, P<0.001).Results Mechanistically, the combination therapy: (1) promoted conventional CD4+ T cell function while preventing exhaustion, (2) suppressed Treg activity through Bcl6 network inhibition, and (3) disrupted myeloid-Treg immunosuppressive interactions (Cxcl16-Cxcr6, Cd274-Pdcd1; P<0.01). These coordinated effects created a favorable immune microenvironment for tumor control.Our findings establish a novel 'microbiota-immune' paradigm where cordycepin potentiates CTLA-4 blockade through: (i) selective enrichment of immunostimulatory gut microbes, (ii) metabolic reprogramming of the tumor microenvironment, and (iii) synergistic modulation of both adaptive and innate immunity.Conclusions Our results suggest that the triple-target strategy of cordycepin, CTLA-4 inhibition, and Eubacterium rectale represents a..."

IO biomarker • Colon Cancer • Colorectal Cancer • Oncology • Solid Tumor • BCL6 • CD4 • CD8 • CXCL16 • CXCR6 • GZMA • IFNG • PD-1 • PD-L1

Dual-Enzyme Nanoassemblies of Carbon Dots and Gold for Tumor Microenvironment-Responsive Immunotherapy in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. (PubMed, ACS Appl Mater Interfaces) - "Herein, we report nucleolus-targeted core-shell structured oxidative stress amplifier ECAu@CD NPs, which consisted of a nanoshell assembled from a carbon dot-based nanozyme, encapsulating a nanocore composed of the natural product cordycepin (Cor), plant polyphenol epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG), and chloroauric acid (HAuCl4)...Specifically, the amplifier recruited massive tumor-infiltrating immune cells, such as T cells, NK cells, and macrophages, thus transforming "cold" tumors into "hot" ones to activate systemic antitumor immune responses. In summary, our investigation reveals that ECAu@CD NPs enhance oxidative stress within the cell nucleus and effectively inhibit tumor growth in vivo, emerging as a strong candidate for anticancer therapy."

Biomarker • Journal • Hepatocellular Cancer • Oncology • Solid Tumor

Cognition-Enhancing Effects of Caterpillar Medicinal Mushroom Cordyceps militaris (Ascomycota) and Cordycepin in a Scopolamine-Induced Mouse Model. (PubMed, Int J Med Mushrooms) - "Also the results of passive avoidance and Morris water maze tests showed that CM and CO were effective in improving short-term and long term memory abilities. Therefore, CM and CO can be considered as functional food components for improving cognitive deficits."

Journal • Preclinical • CNS Disorders • Cognitive Disorders

Anti-Allergic Effects of Dietary Caterpillar Mushroom Cordyceps militaris (Ascomycota) Derived from Eri Silkworm. (PubMed, Int J Med Mushrooms) - "This selective immunomodulatory effect presents advantages for therapeutic applications, as it preserves protective immune responses while suppressing harmful allergic inflammation. Future research should focus on identifying specific bioactive compounds in CME, beyond cordycepin, and elucidating their molecular mechanisms of action to develop optimized formulations for clinical application."

Journal • Allergy • Inflammation • IL4

Cordycepin Targets HRD1 to Promote Cancer Cell PD-L1 Ubiquitin-Proteasome Degradation and Increase Antitumor Immunity. (PubMed, MedComm (2020)) - "Furthermore, this study also revealed that COR exhibits potential synergistic therapeutic effects when combined with anti-CTLA4 antibodies in preclinical tumor treatment. In summary, COR, as the primary bioactive component of Cordyceps militaris, demonstrates considerable potential to act as a small-molecule immune checkpoint modulator and inhibitor, thereby providing a novel therapeutic strategy for the immunotherapy of colorectal cancer."

IO biomarker • Journal • Colorectal Cancer • Oncology • Solid Tumor • Targeted Protein Degradation

Laboratory cultivated Cordyceps militaris modulates cockroach allergen-induced inflammation in keratinocytes and macrophages dual cell platforms. (PubMed, BMC Complement Med Ther) - "These important findings reported herein suggest that ethanolic extracts of CM could be further developed as a potential herbal remedy for aeroallergen-induced skin inflammation."

Journal • Allergy • Dermatitis • Inflammation • CSF2 • CXCL8 • IL13 • IL6 • TNFA

Influence of Culture Conditions on Bioactive Compounds in Cordyceps militaris: A Comprehensive Review. (PubMed, Foods) - "militaris) is a medicinal fungus renowned for its diverse therapeutic properties, largely attributed to bioactive compounds such as cordycepin, polysaccharides, adenosine, D-mannitol, carotenoids, and ergosterol...We propose that future research should integrate multi-omics approaches with bioprocess engineering to overcome these limitations. Collectively, this review highlights both current progress and remaining challenges, providing a roadmap for advancing the sustainable, scalable, and application-driven production of bioactive compounds from C. militaris."

Journal • Review

Identification and functional analysis of the SET domain-containing gene family in Cordyceps militaris. (PubMed, Sci Rep) - "The results showed that these two genes considerably enhanced the cordycepin production. This study provides the foundation for the role and molecular mechanism of SET domain genes in cordycepin biosynthesis."

Journal • CNS Disorders • Psychiatry • Schizophrenia • SET • SETD2

Cordycepin deteriorates 5' fluorouracil-induced anaemia by AMPK activation. (PubMed, Eur J Pharmacol) - "COR treatment substantially delayed reticulocyte recovery in the peripheral blood and reduced the number of erythroblasts in the spleen following 5-FU-induced anaemia. The mechanism of action of COR involves inhibiting erythroid differentiation via activating AMPK."

Journal • Anemia • Hematological Disorders • EPB42 • GATA1 • MTHFD2

Role of the global regulatory factor VeA in Cordyceps militaris and its overexpression combined with tea polyphenols to enhance cordycepin production. (PubMed, Bioresour Technol) - "Transcriptome analysis further revealed that this synergistic enhancement was associated with elevated metabolic fluxes through the pentose phosphate (PP) pathway and the cordycepin biosynthesis module. This study provides a feasible strategy and mechanism insights into the cooperative use of genetic and chemical interventions for optimizing C. militaris platforms."

Journal

Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of Cordycepin Derivatives as Antitumor Agents. (PubMed, Chem Biodivers) - "Molecular docking simulations further elucidated its binding mode with target proteins. Collectively, compound 4l shows promise as a candidate drug for liver cancer therapy."

Journal • Liver Cancer • Oncology • Solid Tumor

Neutrophil-mediated Cordycepin-Based Nanoparticles for Targeted Treatment of Acute Lung Injury [WITHDRAWN] (EUSEM 2025) - "In murine models of Klebsiella pneumoniae and Streptococcus pneumoniae-induced bacterial pneumonia, CPPC was loaded with antibiotics, demonstrating improved delivery efficiency by leveraging neutrophils. This approach significantly reduced bacterial loading, suppressed cytokine storms, and mitigated lung injury, leading to highly effective therapeutic outcomes."

Acute Lung Injury • Infectious Disease • Pneumococcal Infections • Pneumonia • Respiratory Diseases • Septic Shock • ITGAM

Strain improvement of Cordyceps militaris for optimized bioactive metabolite biosynthesis: current progress and prospective approaches. (PubMed, Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek) - "Cordyceps militaris is a rare and highly valued medicinal fungus that has attracted considerable attention due to its production of diverse bioactive compounds, including nucleosides such as cordycepin, polysaccharides, lovastatin, carotenoids, etc., all of which exhibit significant nutritional and therapeutic potential...These include conventional approaches such as mutagenesis and protoplast fusion, as well as genome-editing technologies like CRISPR/Cas9, which are employed to enhance the biosynthesis of target metabolites. Moreover, the integration of metabolic engineering frameworks offers significant potential for rational strain design, optimization of bioprocesses, and the discovery of novel therapeutic agents."

Journal • Review • Gene Therapies

Potential health benefits of insect bioactive metabolites and consumer attitudes towards edible insects. (PubMed, NPJ Sci Food) - "It was found that, insect bioactive metabolites, including marcocarpal, grandinol, trolline, pancratistatin, narciclasin, ungeremin, cantharidin, cordycepin, roseoflavin, lecithin, reblastatin, chitin, chitosan and desmosterol deemed to have biological activities, such as tumor suppression, anticancer, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulator, neuroprotective, glycemic and lipid regulation, blood pressure reduction, regulation of intestinal bacterial flora and cardiovascular protection among others...After concentration, bioactive metabolites are purified using chromatographic and separation techniques including High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Gas Chromatography (GC), Thin-Layer Chromatography (TLC), Size-Exclusion Chromatography (SEC). Finally, their nutritional potential, health benefits, environmentally friendly, great taste, traditions, taboo, safety concerns, unpleasant past experiences, allergies, and unnaturalness are among..."

Journal • Review • Allergy • Cardiovascular • Immunology • Oncology

Gene purA, a Key Upstream Target for Cordycepin Overproduction in Cordyceps militaris. (PubMed, Biotechnol J) - "This study first characterized the low native expression level of purA in C. militaris using an advanced reporter and demonstrated its development potential. After systematically fine-tuning its expression using a unique promoter engineering toolkit, the yield of cordycepin was increased with the enhancement of the precursor pathway. These efforts not only lay out a foundation for multiplex genome editing to build a versatile C. militaris cell factory but also provide a novel research paradigm for the numerous kinds of unexplored mushrooms."

Journal