Drug to protect against radiation. BBCnews, April10, 2008. A drug which may protect the body against damage from radiation has been developed by US scientists. It is hoped it could make radiotherapy safer for people with cancer and could also be used in the event of a "dirty bomb" or nuclear disaster. Known as CBLB502, and so far tested in animals, it switches on a biological mechanism that helps healthy cells survive blasts of radiation. [ See]