Russian nanopreparation taught to burn out cancer
Scientists have started preclinical trials of a drug against a breast tumor
Vasilisa Belokopytova, Izvestia
Scientists of NUST MISIS, MSU and Medical Nanotechnologies LLC have started preclinical trials of a Russian drug for the treatment of cancerous tumors. The drug contains iron oxide nanoparticles, their heating in a magnetic field makes it possible to weaken tumor cells and thereby strengthen chemotherapy. If the drug passes the pre–clinic, it will become the first Russian remedy of this kind. Clinical trials are planned to be conducted on patients with breast cancer, in the future it will be possible to use the drug for the treatment of other types of oncological diseases.
A group of scientists led by the head of the laboratory "Biomedical Nanomaterials" of MISIS, Doctor of Chemical Sciences, Professor of the Chemical Faculty of Moscow State University Alexander Mazhugi began preclinical trials of the first Russian technology of cancer therapy. The medicine is based on a nanopreparation of iron oxide.
According to Alexander Mazhuga, if preclinical trials are successful, clinical trials (in humans) will begin in 2020. Now they are studying the possibilities of the drug in relation to breast tumors.
– The technology is universal, and in the future it can be used for the treatment of other types of cancer, – commented Alexander Mazhuga. – The idea is to enhance the effect of a combination of two methods of cancer treatment – hyperthermia, that is, heating the affected tissue, and chemotherapy.
Scientists have created nanoparticles of magnetite (iron oxide) 15 nanometers in size, coated with a biopolymer. The possibility of iron oxide nanoparticles to treat cancer was accidentally discovered by American scientists last year. After that, teams of scientists from different countries began to develop drugs from this particle.
The drug is injected into the body with a needle. With the help of the generator, the desired configuration of the magnetic field is created – and the medicine is "magnetized" to the cancer tumor. Next, the same generator uses high-frequency radiation to heat the nanoparticles to 42-46 degrees Celsius, at which temperature the tumor cells die. This is followed by a stage of chemotherapy, which has an increased effect due to the weakening of tumor cells.
Other teams of researchers create nanoparticles in the shape of a ball, and Russian scientists were the first to make them in the shape of a cube. This form allows you to generate more heat. Another side of therapy is based on the phenomenon of ferroptosis – cell death from excessive iron content.
Ekaterina Bashta, the head of the Women's Health program of the Volnoe Delo Foundation, said that breast cancer is the most common form of this disease in women.
– Now there are 600 thousand women diagnosed with breast cancer in Russia, and 64 thousand new cases are registered annually, – Ekaterina Bashta said. – In 2012, more than 1.7 million patients were registered in the world. Breast cancer is curable if detected at an early stage. But in Russia, about 40% of diagnoses are made at late stages.
The Director of Science of the biomedical technologies cluster of the Skolkovo Foundation, Elmira Safarova, said that the market is interested in new approaches to the treatment of malignant tumors.
– As for therapy, here the researchers were focused more on silicon nanoparticles, – said Elmira Safarova. – But they, despite numerous studies, have not found widespread use in medicine.
Daniil Nemenov, Medical director of projects at UK Bioprocess Capital Partners LLC (a fund investing in biotechnology), suggested that if all tests are successfully passed, the drug may appear in 2025-2027. On average, the tests take about 10 years. According to the expert, the medicine can be used as an addition to existing practices.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), breast cancer accounts for 16% of all cases of cancer in women.
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29.06.2017