Australian researchers have developed a new technology designed to deliver cancer-fighting drugs directly to brain tumours, in a research project that could pave the way for new treatments for one of the most difficult types of cancer to treat.
Researchers from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, the Royal Melbourne Hospital, and the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre are focusing on overcoming the blood-brain barrier, a natural protective system that shields the brain from harmful substances but also poses a major obstacle to delivering many medicines to brain tissue and tumours.
The team is seeking to harness the brain’s natural transport mechanisms by developing small drug molecules linked to parts of antibodies. This approach is designed to help the molecules cross the blood-brain barrier and reach tumours more effectively.
The project aims to develop potential treatments for high-grade gliomas, including glioblastoma in adults, one of the most aggressive forms of brain tumour, as well as certain brain tumours affecting children.
The research comes as patients with brain tumours continue to face limited treatment options, while scientists seek more precise ways to deliver medicines to tumours without damaging healthy tissue.
