Sweeter treatment for breast and stomach cancers
![](/46/pdcnewsitem/03/87/24/against%20breast%20cancer.gif)
Tweaking sugar molecules on anti-cancer antibodies improves cell-killing with fewer side effects.
Antibodies engineered to carry anti-cancer drugs are increasingly being used to treat a variety of diseases, including breast cancer, but next-generation treatments could be used at lower doses and have reduced side effects. Using biochemical techniques, researchers at the University of Oxford have shown that destruction of cancer cells can be enhanced by optimising trastuzumab antibodies (Herceptin), used to treat HER2+ breast and stomach cancers, while reducing dose and side effects.
Dr Weston Struwe, who is funded by Oxfordshire charity Against Breast Cancer, is one of the co-authors of the study that was published in the international journal Angewandte Chemie this month.
Looking at the molecular level, Dr Struwe and colleagues used the sugars normally present on trastuzumab antibodies as a scaffold for adding anti-cancer drugs. In doing so they could modulate the amount of drug added and select for those that exhibited enhanced killing of breast cancer cells in the laboratory as well as anti-inflammatory properties, to produce a more potent treatment with reduced side effects.
By producing an antibody mixture that was more than 90% pure, they propose that this new, optimized antibody drug conjugate (ADC) would work just as well at lower doses, or better, than the current antibody treatment available clinically, meaning fewer side effects would be experienced by breast cancer patients.
“We are learning how to manipulate the function and biological impact of antibodies, such as Herceptin, by altering the sugar molecules that decorate them to optimize activity” says Dr Struwe. “We are now exploring how the sugars could be used to attach cell-killing components to optimized antibodies and further improve their cancer-destroying capability.”
Common side effects of trastuzumab treatment include fever, nausea, fatigue, diarrhoea, and sleep issues but it can also cause more serious heart, lung or liver problems. However, trastuzumab remains one of the best treatments for most types of HER2+ cancer.
Related News
-
News CPHI Podcast Series: the power of digital marketing in pharma
Digital marketing is a valuable tool for many industries, and the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry is no exception. The CPHI Podcast Series covers how marketing can be used by companies to increase their engagement and overcome challenges.&n... -
News Novel approach to creating sustainable packaging from rice husks
Researchers have created a new approach to the designing of eco-friendly nanofibres extracted from rice husks, addressing the critical need for sustainable packaging materials in food and biopharmaceutical products. -
News BioNTech to begin mRNA vaccine manufacturing in Rwanda by 2025
German biotechnology company BioNTech has stated their intentions to begin production at their mRNA vaccine factory in Rwanda by 2025, which will mark the first foreign mRNA vaccine manufacturing site on the continent of Africa. -
News Identifying Alzheimer’s Disease biomarker proteins with whole blood tests
A University of Manchester spin-out pharmaceutical company, PharmaKure, has reported successful study results for the quantification of Alzheimer’s Disease biomarker proteins with a whole blood test. -
News Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to boost mRNA vaccine initiatives in Africa with USD $40m
To address vaccine inequality and accessibility issues, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation aims to deliver USD $40m to various biotech companies and vaccine manufacturers in support of mRNA vaccine development. -
News CPHI Podcast Series: Exploring neurological frontiers in Alzheimer's and beyond
The next episode of the CPHI Podcast Series delves into the science and background behind some recent developments in the field of Alzheimer's disease and neurological disorders. -
News Is patient centricity the future of pharmaceutical manufacturing?
In this interview with Sandra Sánchez y Oldenhage, President of PharmAdvice, she speaks to the importance of considering patients in the manufacturing stages of the pharmaceutical supply chain, and how it can redefine healthcare. -
News CPHI Podcast Series: How to leverage AI for Drug Discovery
Artificial intelligence is the topic of debate in the latest episode from the CPHI Podcast Series, where Digital Editor Lucy Chard speaks with Bill Whitford of DPS Group about the integration of AI in healthcare.
Position your company at the heart of the global Pharma industry with a CPHI Online membership
-
Your products and solutions visible to thousands of visitors within the largest Pharma marketplace
-
Generate high-quality, engaged leads for your business, all year round
-
Promote your business as the industry’s thought-leader by hosting your reports, brochures and videos within your profile
-
Your company’s profile boosted at all participating CPHI events
-
An easy-to-use platform with a detailed dashboard showing your leads and performance