Bee Venom May Help Treat Aggressive, Hard-to-Treat Breast Cancer

Beekeepers are in the early stages of trials to assess the benefits of bee venom.

Key points:

• A Northern NSW apiarist is exploring how beekeepers can diversify
• Research has found honeybee venom is effective in killing breast cancer cells
• It could provide more options for apiarists than just honey production

...She said her business HoneyBee Hives, which operates from Coutts Crossing, would be using Queensland-invented technology to see if bee venom could be used for both cosmetic and therapeutic purposes.

The technology, developed by company Whale Labs, is a bee venom collection device that doesn't harm the bees.

"Rather than just doing the same old, same old, let's look at ways we can diversify," Ms McQueen-Richardson said.

A study published in the Nature Precision Oncology journal last year found venom from honeybees could rapidly kill aggressive and hard-to-treat breast cancer cells.

The study also found when the venom's main component was combined with existing chemotherapy drugs, it was extremely efficient at reducing tumour growth in mice.