Scientists in the USA announced that they succeeded in eliminating in animals (rodents) advanced ovarian and colon cancers, in just six days, thanks to a new treatmentwhich will be ready for the first clinical trials in humans in the fall of 2022.
These are implantable “drug factories” the size of a pin head, which allow the continuous administration of high doses of the drug interleukin-2. The treatment activates the white blood cells of the immune system to fight cancer more effectively. The implantation of each drug bead is performed by a minimally invasive method and each microscopic “plant” contains cells encapsulated in a protective shell, which are suitably modified to produce interleukin on a continuous basis. Spherical mini-pharmaceutical plants are implanted next to the tumors.
Researchers from the Universities of Rice, Texas (Anderson Cancer Center) and Virginia, led by Assistant Professor of Biomechanics Omid Weiseh, published the paper in the journal Science Advances. According to Dr. Weiseh, “it is enough to give the treatment only once, because the drug factories continue to produce one dose every day, where it is needed, until the cancer is eliminated. “Once we determined the right dose – how many such ‘plants’ are needed – we were able to eliminate tumors in 100% of animals with ovarian cancer and also in seven of the eight animals with colon cancer.”
“A major challenge in the field of immunotherapy is to increase tumor inflammation and immunity against tumors, while avoiding the systemic side effects of cytokines and other inflammatory drugs. “Our study showed that ‘drug factories’ allow regulated topical administration of interleukin-2 and the elimination of tumors in several animal models, which is very promising and clearly justifies clinical trials in humans,” said the professor of gynecological oncology. Reproductive Medicine Amir Jazairi of the Anderson Cancer Center at the University of Texas.
Interleukin-2 is a cytokine, a protein used by the immune system to recognize and fight disease. It is an approved anti-cancer immunotherapy, which, thanks to the new “drug factories”, is more effective, as it generates a stronger immune response than existing treatments with the same substance, because implanted beads carry a higher dose on the other hand in a more directly to the tumors.
The researchers hope that the same therapeutic approach could be applied to other cancers, such as pancreatic, liver, lung and other cancers. In any case, interleukin-2 “factories” will be implanted next to the tumors. If it is judged that a particular cancer needs a different cytokine and not interleukin-2, then the beads can be “loaded” with different modified cells to produce another substance.
Researchers have already set up the Massachusetts-based startup Avenge Bio to promote their new drug technology.
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