Descripción del proyecto
Un tratamiento del glioma más barato y eficaz
Cerca de un tercio de los tumores encefálico son gliomas, que se originan en las células gliales del encéfalo. Los gliomas suelen tener una elevada tasa de mortalidad, ya que son muy difíciles de tratar debido a su naturaleza difusa en el encéfalo. Generar especies reactivas del oxígeno (ERO) tóxicas en el tumor es un método para destruir específicamente las células cancerosas sin dañar las sanas. Sin embargo, ello requiere el uso de fármacos fotosensibilizantes caros que limitan la aplicación del tratamiento de diferentes maneras. En el proyecto GlioLighT, financiado por el Consejo Europeo de Innovación, se examinará un novedoso enfoque de fototerapia directa para tratar el glioma mediante la generación de ERO sin fármacos. El equipo de GlioLighT pretende determinar el modo de acción de la fototerapia directa y crear un sistema de aplicación que, algún día, se puede emplear en la práctica sanitaria.
Objetivo
Glioma is an extremely lethal cancer, due largely to the inaccessible nature of the brain and diffusion of cells from the tumour site. These diffuse cells are usually too deeply embedded in the brain to safely remove by current means. Targeted Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation is a promising form of glioma treatment to selectively eliminate glioma, including diffuse cells. However, the only current means of targeted ROS generation is photodynamic therapy (PDT) which generates ROS using expensive and potentially toxic photosensitisers (PS) which are ineffective against distant diffused cells and introduce many treatment limitations. GlioLighT proposes a novel alternative form of targeted ROS generation: Direct Light Therapy (DLT). DLT uses 1267nm light to generate 1O2 species in glioma cells without dependency on a PS. The removal of PS will revolutionise glioma treatment, enabling novel treatment modalities to vastly improve efficacy, earlier intervention options, all at reduced cost and complexity. However, whilst the principles of DLT have been demonstrated, little is known about how DLT achieves its anti-cancer effects, or the extent of its therapeutic benefits. Leveraging decades of accumulated PDT knowledge and technology development, GlioLighT will study DLT technology both independently and compared to PDT. The effect of DLT on glioma and the brain, focusing on immunogenicity, will be studied to determine DLT’s efficacy, safety, and mechanisms of action. Novel ultrashort pulse (USP) light sources will be developed to maximise optical penetration and minimise safety risk, ensuring DLT is suited for clinical adoption. Lastly, the development of the preclinical GlioLighT delivery and sensing system (pcGlio-DSS) ready for the next steps of clinical translation, will bring DLT a leap closer to vastly improving glioma treatment in Europe and worldwide.
Palabras clave
Programa(s)
- HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC) Main Programme
Convocatoria de propuestas
HORIZON-EIC-2023-PATHFINDEROPEN-01
Consulte otros proyectos de esta convocatoriaRégimen de financiación
HORIZON-EIC - HORIZON EIC GrantsCoordinador
55122 Mainz
Alemania