Project description
Dual-targeting strategy for precision cancer therapies
Targeted cancer therapies are important, but often have severe side effects. Low-energy Auger electrons can damage DNA with less toxicity, though their delivery to the nucleus is challenging. Supported by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, the Click-to-Cure project aims to develop a dual-targeting strategy to deliver Auger emitters to the DNA of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer cells. It will link PARP inhibitors to an Auger emitter and a PSMA-targeting moiety. A ligand that targets the gastrin-releasing peptide receptor carries a tetrazine release moiety. After internalisation by cancer cells, the active drug is released to target the nucleus. If successful, it could minimise damage to healthy tissue while enhancing treatment effectiveness and improving patient quality of life.
Objective
Targeted cancer therapies are crucial for effective treatment of people suffering from this often-devastating disease. However, most of the available drugs come with severe side effects that lower the patient's quality of life and limit the maximum applicable dose, particularly for radioligand therapy. This is due to the lack of tumor specificity and accumulation of the drug in healthy tissue. Low-energy Auger electrons induce extensive DNA damage and exhibit very low cellular toxicity during transit in the body. However, it is very challenging to specifically deliver Auger emitters to the nucleus as the chemical properties for nuclear penetrations contradict cancer specificity. Here, I want to develop a double targeting strategy using a bioorthogonal click-to-release reaction to deliver Auger emitters to the DNA of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer cells. Inhibitors of the DNA repair enzyme PARP will be tagged with both an Auger emitter and a prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeting moiety via a trans cyclooctene linker. A complementary tumor-specific ligand targeting the gastrin-releasing peptide receptor carries a tetrazine release moiety. Only upon internalization of both the PSMA-drug conjugate and the release molecule into the cancer cells, the active drug is released from the PSMA targeting moiety and localizes to the nucleus. After synthesis and radiolabeling of the compounds, the strategy will be tested first in suitable prostate cancer cells in vitro, and then translated to an in vivo therapy study in rodents. If successful, the project will lay the foundation to apply the concept to other cancer entities with suitable complementary markers. This novel strategy to treat cancer with minimal damage to healthy tissue will not only boost the efficacy of the therapy due to higher applicable doses, but also tremendously improve the quality of life for the patients.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- medical and health sciences clinical medicine oncology
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry biomolecules proteins enzymes
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Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
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Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
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Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
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(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2025-PF
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
1165 KOBENHAVN
Denmark
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