Mayo Clinic researchers demonstrated the by-product is more effective than currently used therapies at killing multiple myeloma cells.

"There were a number of fascinating findings," said Dr. Keith Bible, a Mayo Clinic oncologist and the study's lead investigator. "In addition to observing many favorable aspects of chaetocin, we discovered some avenues for further research into other possible anti-myeloma agents."

Multiple myeloma is an incurable bone marrow cancer that kills more than 11,000 people each year in the United States.

The research is detailed online in the journal Blood.