NHRI developing targeted cancer drug that spares healthy tissues

Описание: Taiwan researchers are working on a cancer treatment that only attacks malignant cells, while leaving healthy tissues untouched. This drug, called Targeplatin, is designed to release only after it enters a tumor cell. So far, it’s shown promise in animal trials against breast cancer, lung adenocarcinoma and ovarian cancer. Researchers say the drug has few side effects and may be able to improve the survival of rate of cancer patients.

Cancer has been the leading cause of death in Taiwan for 41 years. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, more than 50,000 people died with the disease last year. The National Health Research Institutes is developing a drug to increase survival rates.

Liang Kung-yee
NHRI president
We’re hoping the treatment can prevent drug resistance and hypoxiation. Our animal tests are mainly geared toward cancers that affect women. That’s breast cancer, lung adenocarcinoma and ovarian cancer. We are hoping to take our research work into clinical trials, so that everyone can benefit.

Traditional chemotherapy kills cancer cells but also healthy body cells, dampening the patient’s immune system and producing side effects. The NHRI is developing a platinum-based drug called Targeplatin, which targets and destroys cancer cells, effectively and accurately delivering drugs to cells in tumors. Unlike chemotherapy, the drug exclusively attacks cancer cells, sparing damage to healthy cells and avoiding side effects. The drug has already obtained a patent in several countries.

Lin Wen-chieh
NHRI Immunology Research Center
The main thing with Targeplatin is that it’s packed in a way so that it releases only in tumor cells. So it will only start killing tumor cells after it enters the tumor. It won’t kill any normal tissue. It won’t just destroy everything indiscriminately.

The treatment is designed to eliminate cancer cells and to prevent the cancer’s spread. The NHRI says that if the drug passes clinical trials, it could be a gamechanger for cancer patients, raising their survival rates and their quality of life.