Thuy Tran receives grant from Erling-Persson Foundation to develop method for hard-to-treat cancer
Thuy Tran's research group at Karolinska Institutet has been awarded SEK 8 million over three years from the Erling-Persson Foundation to develop a precision-orientated, theranostic, method that integrates the diagnosis and treatment of advanced, solid tumours.
Thuy Tran’s research is centred on producing an innovative, target-seeking platform designed to contribute to less invasive, more personalised and targeted therapies with the aim to improve patient well-being and treatment outcomes.
“We see great potential to change how metastasising solid tumours are treated by combining diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities,” says research group leader Thuy Tran at the Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet. “Our project will involve developing and evaluating a radioactive drug targeted specifically at the TROP-2 antigen, which is highly expressed in many solid tumours.”
Combination of diagnosis and therapy
Solid tumours make up over 90 per cent of all cancers and have a high global mortality rate. Despite advances in cancer therapy, advanced solid tumours, such as breast, lung, prostate and colorectal cancers, remain difficult to treat.
“The problem’s in tumour heterogeneity, drug resistance and the lack of effective biomarkers for early detection and treatment,” explains Dr Tran. “What’s more, current therapies often have serious side effects.”
Theranostics – the combination of diagnosis and therapy via the same platform – involves the use of a drug containing radioactive isotopes to seek out the cancer cells. The isotopes then irradiate the interior of the cancer cells in a process called radionuclide therapy, and the cell dies.
“The method allows us to identify cancer cells and irradiate them with high precision,” she continues. “This spares the healthy tissue and reduces side effects. We hope to be able to offer this theranostic platform to clinics as a safer and more efficacious therapy than those currently available.”
A quicker transition from lab to clinic
An important aspect of the project is the interdisciplinary collaboration between the research group, with its preclinical focus in radiopharmacy, and SciLifelab, with its expertise in drug screening and its nuclear medicine and oncology clinicians.
“Thanks to the grant from the Erling-Persson Foundation, we’ll be able to complete important preclinical studies, optimise manufacturing processes and conduct the necessary toxicological tests,” says Dr Tran. “This will enable a quicker transition from lab to clinic, where we hope to offer patients a new form of treatment able to improve their life quality and prolong survival.”