2023-08-03 18:30:11
Researchers from the Free University of Brussels (ULB), in collaboration with the University of Lyon and the company Netris Pharma, have discovered a drug that reduces metastasis and resistance to chemotherapy in cancer cells.
The researchers, whose results were published Wednesday in the scientific journal Nature, have developed a treatment that works against epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), a process by which cancer cells detach from their neighboring cells and can become invasive. , which promotes the formation of metastases and resistance to cancer treatments.
To date, there is no drug specifically targeting EMT.
The research team, led by Professor Cédric Blanpain, director of the stem cells and cancer laboratory at ULB, found that cancer cells with EMT expressed high levels of the protein netrin-1. They then decided to collaborate with the firm Netris Pharma, which developed an antibody targeting this protein.
The ULB researchers have shown that this antibody makes it possible to reduce the formation of tumors and to block EMT in these tumours, which reduces their ability to form metastases.
In particular, the research team studied the effect of the drug on patients with endometrial cancer. The study revealed that the administration of this antibody not only did not show toxicity in humans, but in addition it made it possible to reduce EMT and metastases in patients.
The scientists will continue their work, now to study the long-term effects of this new therapy. Trials on other types of cancers presenting EMT such as certain lung or breast cancers are envisaged.
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