Descripción del proyecto
Un tratamiento combinatorio para el osteosarcoma
El osteosarcoma es una neoplasia pediátrica que se origina en los huesos. El tratamiento convencional consiste en la extirpación quirúrgica del tumor fuera de sus márgenes originales para garantizar que no queden células cancerosas. Los pacientes suelen someterse a una cirugía reconstructiva posterior para recuperar la función de la extremidad. El equipo del proyecto TRANSFORMER, financiado por el Consejo Europeo de Investigación, propone desarrollar un producto que facilite la regeneración ósea en combinación con un tratamiento antineoplásico, y que sea capaz de dirigirse a las células madre cancerosas para evitar la recidiva del tumor. Este último emplea plasmas atmosféricos fríos para generar especies reactivas del oxígeno y del nitrógeno (ERON) capaces de matar células. El confinamiento de las ERON en los hidrogeles garantiza la administración en la localización del tumor sin efectos secundarios sistémicos ni reducción de la eficacia.
Objetivo
Improving the survival of patients with osteosarcoma has long proved challenging. Osteosarcoma is a rare bone cancer (less than 0.2% of all cancers). However, it affects mainly children and young adolescents. The standard therapy for osteosarcoma consists in the surgeon removing the entire tumor with negative margins (resection of larger areas of bone than the tumor itself), to ensure that no cancer cells are found at the edge of the tissue removed. This means that in some cases these surgeries associate limb amputation and even when it is not the case, most patients that undergo limb-sparing surgery need reconstructive surgery to regain limb function. The aim of TRANSFORMER is to bring closer to the market a solution that will allow to simultaneously treat bone cancer in absence of side effects while allowing bone regeneration. The product to be developed in TRANSFORMER puts together for the first time bone regeneration biomaterials with an innovative therapy for cancer that – in contrast to chemotherapy – up to now has shown no secondary effects: cold atmospheric plasma-treated hydrogels. The technology is protected by two PCT. TRANSFORMER value proposition: the product focused in in TRANSFORMER will have a double advantage for the patients and clinicians: it will be a local therapy that will allow simultaneous bone cancer treatment and bone regeneration. TRANSFORMER is structured along several objectives: (i) to preclinically validate the plasma-treated biocomposite as a potential therapy against bone cancer and towards bone regeneration, advancing the technology from TRL of 3 to 5, subsequently making it ready for clinical development and transfer to a spin-off or a third party company. (ii) To consolidate our IP position. (iii) To adapt the development roadmap to the regulatory requirements. (iv) To build a comprehensive business case for the exploitation of the technology and subsequent strategy for knowledge transfer.
Ámbito científico
Programa(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Régimen de financiación
HORIZON-AG-LS - HORIZON Lump Sum GrantInstitución de acogida
08034 Barcelona
España