New technology makes tumour eliminate itself

A new technology developed by researchers enables the body to produce therapeutic agents on demand at the exact location where they are needed. The innovation could reduce the side effects of cancer therapy and may hold the solution to better delivery of Covid-related therapies directly to the lungs.

Scientists have modified a common respiratory virus, called adenovirus, to act like a Trojan horse to deliver genes for cancer therapeutics directly into tumour cells. Unlike chemotherapy or radiotherapy, this approach does no harm to normal healthy cells. Once inside tumour cells, the delivered genes serve as a blueprint for therapeutic antibodies, cytokines and other signalling substances, which are produced by the cancer cells themselves and act to eliminate tumours from the inside out.

Sneaking adenoviruses past the immune system undetected

Tumour eliminating itself through the production of anti-cancer agents by its own cells. The therapeutic agents, such as therapeutic antibodies or signalling substances, mostly stay at the place in the body where they’re needed instead of spreading throughout the bloodstream where they can damage healthy organs and tissues.

Researchers call their technology SHREAD. High amount of drugs in the tumour, low concentration in other tissues

Scientists made the tumour itself produce a clinically approved breast cancer antibody, called trastuzumab (Herceptin®), in the mammary of a mouse. They found that, after a few days, SHREAD produced more of the antibody in the tumour than when the drug was injected directly. Moreover, the concentration in the bloodstream and in other tissues where side effects could occur were significantly lower with SHREAD.