Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS
Content archived on 2024-06-18
Novel tumor-selective lethal miRNAs for the treatment of head and neck cancer

Article Category

Article available in the following languages:

Targeted delivery of RNA therapies for head and neck cancer

Current head and neck (H&N) cancer treatment is very harsh and patients frequently relapse, the 5-year survival rate being less than 60 %. Targeted delivery may be a more effective solution without the unpleasant side-effects.

The EU project MIRACLE(opens in new window) has taken an approach determined by the involvement of two antigens overexpressed on the surface of H&N cancer cells – CD44 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). CD44 is a receptor for hyaluronic acid and EGFR is expressed in almost all H&N cancers. The standard treatment for H&N includes cisplatin, which can cause very distressing, damaging side-effects. MIRACLE worked on novel anti-cancer agents based on therapeutic microRNA (miRNA) formulations. From a retroviral expression library of human miRNAs, the researchers selected two based on their effects on H&N cancer cell lines. Furthermore, the team developed and tested mimics of the miRNA molecules and determined any modifications necessary for efficient activity. For testing, the team developed a specific H&N cancer mouse model with respect to CD44 and EGFR expression. Furthermore, a target gene regulated by the miRNAs was identified and validated. Production of the miRNAs on a mid-scale level has been achieved. For delivery of the therapeutic cargo, always challenging, the researchers covered the outside of lipid particles with hyaluronic acid and anti-CD44 antibodies. After testing formulations, the researchers merged the expertise from two consortium members. The Smarticles platform from Marina Biotech is already in production to GMP standard. Due to the absence of a targeting module in the Smarticles technology, the scientists adopted in parallel the SAINT-O-somes technology developed at the University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG) in collaboration with Synvolux. MIRACLE has achieved a firm knowledge base with a consortium possessing relevant high-level expertise in developing a tumour-killing miRNA for human trials. Partners will continue to work on miRNA therapeutics for H&N cancer and are confident they have the right recipe to obtain in vivo proof of concept followed by submission for human trials.

Discover other articles in the same domain of application

My booklet 0 0