Tel Aviv University Researchers Develop Breakthrough Platform for Simultaneous Cancer Treatment Delivery

Researchers from Tel Aviv University have developed an innovative platform that allows for the simultaneous delivery of two cancer-fighting drugs directly to specific tumor types, significantly enhancing treatment effectiveness and minimizing side effects. This pioneering study was published in Science Advances last week and marks a significant step forward in cancer treatment.

Led by Prof. Ronit Satchi-Fainaro and doctoral student Shani Koshrovski-Michael from Tel Aviv University’s Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, the team developed a method to address one of the major challenges in current cancer treatments—delivering multiple drugs to tumors simultaneously. As Prof. Satchi-Fainaro explained, cancer therapies often involve combinations of drugs, but these drugs don't always reach tumors at the same time due to differences in their properties, such as degradation rates and circulation times.

The researchers overcame this challenge by developing nanoparticles that encapsulate two different drugs and are directed to tumors with precision. These nanoparticles dissolve into water and carbon dioxide within a month, ensuring the drugs are delivered together to maximize therapeutic impact and minimize toxicity.

The innovative nanoparticles target P-selectin, a protein found on both cancer cells and the new blood vessels formed by tumors to nourish themselves. This ensures that the drugs are delivered directly to the tumors, including skin cancers (treated with BRAF and MEK inhibitors) and breast cancers (treated with PARP and PD-L1 inhibitors).

Tests on 3D cancer cell models and animal models have shown remarkable results:

- Tumors treated with the nanoparticle delivery system shrank significantly.

- The time to progression was extended by 2.5 times compared to standard treatments.

- Mice treated with the nanoparticles survived twice as long as those receiving free drugs, and three times longer than untreated mice.

- The nanoparticles even crossed the blood-brain barrier, providing effective treatment for brain metastases without harming healthy brain tissue.

Prof. Satchi-Fainaro stated that this new platform has the potential to revolutionize cancer therapy and could be adapted for the treatment of other cancers such as glioblastoma and pancreatic cancer. With its ability to enhance the effectiveness of drug combinations and target tumors more precisely, this platform could open the door to more advanced and personalized cancer treatments.