Descrizione del progetto
Trattamento del glioma più economico ed efficace
Circa un terzo di tutti i tumori cerebrali sono gliomi, che hanno origine dalle cellule gliali del cervello. I gliomi sono di solito estremamente letali, poiché sono molto difficili da trattare a causa della loro natura diffusa nel cervello. Un approccio per uccidere in modo specifico le cellule tumorali senza danneggiare le cellule normali consiste nel generare specie reattive dell’ossigeno (ROS) tossiche nel tumore. Tuttavia, questo metodo richiede attualmente l’uso di costosi farmaci foto-sensibilizzanti che limitano in vari modi l’applicazione del trattamento. Finanziato dal Consiglio europeo per l’innovazione, il progetto GlioLighT esplorerà un nuovo approccio alla terapia della luce diretta (DLT) per trattare il glioma, generando ROS senza alcun farmaco. GlioLighT intende determinare il funzionamento della DLT e produrre un sistema per la sua applicazione che un giorno potrebbe arrivare negli ambulatori.
Obiettivo
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.
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
- HORIZON.3.1 - The European Innovation Council (EIC) Main Programme
Invito a presentare proposte
HORIZON-EIC-2023-PATHFINDEROPEN-01
Vedi altri progetti per questo bandoMeccanismo di finanziamento
HORIZON-EIC - HORIZON EIC GrantsCoordinatore
55122 Mainz
Germania