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EDMONTON — Researchers at the University of Alberta say an existing anti-malarial drug could help make colorectal cancer tumours more sensitive to chemotherapy, offering a potential path to more targeted cancer treatment.
The Alberta-based team found the drug pyronaridine increased the effectiveness of platinum chemotherapy drugs when delivered directly to tumour cells, reducing the number of cancer cells able to survive and form new colonies compared with chemotherapy alone.
“The goal of this work is to develop more targeted treatments against cancer, thereby reducing the dose required for effective treatment and minimizing both the acute and chronic toxic side-effects that go along with chemotherapy,” said Afsaneh Lavasanifar, the study’s principal investigator.
Researchers encapsulated pyronaridine inside a specially designed liposome, a microscopic fat-based bubble engineered to remain stable in the bloodstream and release the drug at the tumour site. The liposomes measure about 90 nanometres in width, thousands of times smaller than the diameter of a human hair.
The team confirmed the drug reached its intended target and worked effectively alongside platinum-based chemotherapy, a commonly used class of cancer drugs designed to damage tumour DNA.
The research was led by Lavasanifar along with chemistry professor and Allard Research Chair in Oncology Frederick West and medicine and experimental oncology professor Michael Weinfeld.
The Alberta researchers are now expanding their work to test the drug combination alongside chemotherapy and radiation in studies focused on non-small cell lung cancer and head and neck cancers.
The findings highlight ongoing cancer research efforts in Alberta aimed at improving treatment effectiveness while reducing harmful side effects for patients.
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