IIT Delhi develops new treatment for deadly brain cancer, pre-clinical trials show promise

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A novel nanoformulation to cure deadly brain tumours has shown promise in pre-clinical trials, researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi said on Thursday.

Glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive type of cancerous brain tumour in adults, poses significant treatment challenges despite available options like surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.

Patients diagnosed with glioblastoma typically have a life expectancy of only 12-18 months post-diagnosis.

The team developed a novel nanoformulation, namely Immunosomes, that combines a CD40 agonist antibody with the small molecule inhibitor RRX-001. The innovative approach, published in the journal Biomaterials, aims to enhance treatment efficacy for brain tumours, potentially offering new hope for improving outcomes in glioblastoma patients.

In this study, mice bearing glioblastoma treated with Immunosomes showed complete eradication of the tumour and remained tumour-free for at least three months. In addition, the treatment generated a strong host immune response to fight against brain cancer. After three months, the team re-challenged the long-term surviving mice by implanting glioblastoma cells.

Surprisingly, the mice pre-treated with Immunosomes showed near-no tumour growth, revealing that Immunosomes could generate long-lasting immune memory that can prevent future tumour recurrence without further treatment.

In addition to producing long-lasting protection against glioblastoma, treatment with Immunosomes can reduce the toxicity associated with CD40 agonist antibody, which otherwise presents a significant challenge for clinicians globally.

"We are highly motivated by these results, and are excited to translate these findings to human clinical trials with a wider range of glioblastoma patients," said Dr Jayanta Bhattacharyya, associate professor, Centre for Biomedical Engineering, IIT Delhi.

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