Projektbeschreibung
Computertomographische Krebstherapie
Die Computertomographie (CT) ist ein bildgebendes Diagnoseverfahren, bei dem Röntgenstrahlen eingesetzt werden, um Aufnahmen von einem beliebigen Teil des Körpers zu erstellen. Das vom Europäischen Innovationsrat finanzierte Projekt PERSEUS zielt darauf ab, die Einsatzmöglichkeiten der Computertomographie für die Behandlung von Tumoren zu erweitern, die mit anderen Methoden nicht zu erreichen sind, wie z. B. bei metastasierendem dreifach negativen Brustkrebs und Bauchspeicheldrüsenkrebs. PERSEUS plant eine neue, auf Nanotechnologie basierende Therapie mit einem Nanosystem, das durch den CT-Strahl aktiviert wird und den Tod von Krebszellen durch Hitze und reaktive Sauerstoffverbindungen verursacht. Darüber hinaus birgt die Freisetzung von Krebsantigenen das Potenzial, das Immunsystem zu aktivieren und eine Immunität gegen Krebs zu erzeugen.
Ziel
PERSEUS intends to implement a novel nanotechnology-based cancer therapy for deep-seated clinically unmanageable, drug-resistant and metastatic tumours. Practical use of nanotechnology in clinical cancer care is still in its infancy with a full potential yet to be realized. The therapy is based on a novel nano-system (NS) made of multifunctional 2D layered nanocrystals. The NS enables, under activation by computed tomography (CT), an effective multimodal therapy with minimal or no adverse effects. This novel paradigm uses CT not to eradicate cancer, but to trigger and to image the NS that locally activates non-mutagenic oncotherapies. The therapies delivered are excited by the conversion of low energy X-rays (i.e. CT) into heat, reactive oxygen species and radiosensitizing agents. X-ray irradiation can also induce immunogenic cell death with the exposure or release of neo-antigens to trigger an anti-cancer immune response.
The use of X-rays makes it possible to reach deep-seated tumours that are inaccessible by visible or near-infrared light-based therapies. In other words, CT is the spark that lights the match. This is a radical vision for an ambitious and high-risk project. The current proposal targets a range of cancer types including metastatic triple negative breast cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, colorectal cancer, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The NS is biocompatible and also totally inactive in absence of CT radiation, i.e. the NS becomes active only where the CT beam is delivered so minimizing side effects at distal sites.
The therapy is agnostic to the type of cancer and to gender incidence because it doesn't affect the body biochemistry. This is a second change of paradigm. PERSEUS vision is pursued by a multidisciplinary team composed of physicists, chemists, chemical engineers, biologists, physicians, pharmacologists and radiologists working together to develop an innovative nanotechnological approach to address unmet clinical needs.
Wissenschaftliches Gebiet
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologyprostate cancer
- engineering and technologymedical engineeringdiagnostic imagingcomputed tomography
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologybreast cancer
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologycolorectal cancer
- medical and health sciencesclinical medicineoncologypancreatic cancer
Programm/Programme
- HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC) Main Programme
Aufforderung zur Vorschlagseinreichung
HORIZON-EIC-2022-PATHFINDEROPEN-01
Andere Projekte für diesen Aufruf anzeigenFinanzierungsplan
EIC - EICKoordinator
00185 Roma
Italien