Engineered Nanoparticles Show Promise for Targeted Cancer Immunotherapy
Scientists at McGill University and the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute have developed a novel approach to delivering cancer immunotherapy, resulting in fewer side effects in a preclinical study. The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, focuses on treating cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes—a particularly challenging stage of the disease.
The Challenge with Current Immunotherapies
Most current immunotherapies are administered intravenously (IV), causing the drugs to circulate throughout the entire body. This widespread distribution can trigger immune responses in healthy tissues, leading to significant and sometimes debilitating side effects. “Some immunotherapies cause such severe side effects that clinicians are forced to lower the dose, making treatment less effective,” explained senior author Guojun Chen, Assistant Professor in McGill’s Department of Biomedical Engineering and a member of the Goodman Cancer Institute.
Nanoparticle Technology for Targeted Delivery
To overcome this limitation, the researchers encapsulated an existing immunotherapy drug within engineered nanoparticles. These tiny particles are designed to travel through the bloodstream and specifically release their therapeutic payload when they reach lymph nodes affected by cancer.
“Our nanoparticles can sense a molecule that’s abundant in cancerous lymph nodes,” said Chen, who is also the Canada Research Chair in Biomaterials and Biomacromolecule Delivery. “When they detect it, they activate the drug exactly where it’s needed, although in healthy tissues, the drug remains inactivated and eventually degraded.”
Promising Results from Preclinical Studies
Results from studies conducted on mouse models demonstrated that the nanoparticles significantly reduced harmful side effects and improved the effectiveness of the immunotherapy compared to standard IV administration. This approach also addresses the issue of immune system suppression that can occur when cancerous lymph nodes are surgically removed.
“Lymph nodes are essential immune organs,” noted first author Yueyang Deng, a postdoctoral researcher in the Chen Lab at McGill. “With this approach, we can potentially treat the disease while preserving the immune system’s normal function.”
The Future of Cancer Immunotherapy
This breakthrough underscores the growing role of engineering in advancing cancer research. “mRNA vaccines are a great example of what nanomedicine can achieve, and there’s tremendous potential as cancer biology and materials science approach together,” Chen stated.
The research team is currently conducting further preclinical safety evaluations before initiating clinical trials to assess the potential of this targeted immunotherapy in humans.
About the Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute
The Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute is a world-renowned research institution affiliated with McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences. It is dedicated to improving human health through biomedical research, bringing together leading scientists and clinicians in a collaborative environment.