KUALA LUMPUR: A research team led by Dr Yunching Chen and Tsai-Te Lu of National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) have developed a new cancer treatment, in which blood vessels within malignant tumours are normalised.
This is done by injecting a specially developed nano-delivery system for nitric oxide, which also facilitates the delivery of cancer drugs and immunocytes into the tumour.
Chen explained that after the tumourous blood vessels are normalised, they can help to enhance the function of anti-cancer drugs and immune cells.
According to a statement, the team developed a polymer-based nano-delivery system consisting of lactic acid and glycolic acid to stabilise the biomimetic dinitrosyl iron complex that releases nitric oxide.
This will extend the time in which nitric oxide molecules are effectively released from a few minutes to several days, allowing them to accumulate in tumourous tissues, and restoring the abnormal blood vessels to normal.
At this point, anti-cancer drugs and immune cells can penetrate into the tumour, destroying the cancer cells in one fell swoop.
The team has already applied for patents in Taiwan and the United States for the developed nitric oxide nano-carrier, and they are currently investigating the possibility of cooperation with domestic hospitals and international pharmaceutical companies. – Bernama
