(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Scientists have long known a compound found in the bark of the white birch tree can kill cancerous cells in the laboratory. But turning that discovery into something that might one day help cancer patients has been years in the making.

The problem? The compound refused to dissolve in water, making it impossible to give to patients.

Now, investigators from Weill Medical College of Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., have come up with a solution, and early tests indicate the new formula is effective in killing prostate cancer cells.

"Years of research appear to have paid off, and now, animal tests on this potential anti-cancer agent can finally proceed. Already, in mouse studies, we've found that our water-soluble compound -- called Boc-lysinated-betulonic acid -- has achieved up to 92-percent inhibition of prostate tumor growth compared to controls," reports lead researcher Brij Saxena, Ph.D.

The reengineered compound is also expected to kill other kinds of cancer cells too, since earlier studies in the laboratory showed it was effective against a range of cancers including breast and lung cancers.

How did the group get the compound to dissolve in water? According to the investigators, the trick was to attach a long-side-chain amino acid called Boc-lysine to betulonic acid and then use a mixture of phosphate-buffered saline including 20 percent ethanol and 4 percent human albumin to serve as a solvent.

"It's been a real hurdle, and we've been waiting for this opportunity for a while," says Dr. Saxena. "Now, we can proceed with the in vivo dose-response and toxicity studies that may lay the groundwork for clinical trials."

SOURCE: Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, published online July 24, 2006, doi:10.1016/j.bmc.2006.05.048