Nanomedicine for Glioblastoma Therapy

AcronymeNANO4GLIO
Websitehttps://www.nano4glio.org
CallThe 10 Joint Call for the ERA-NET EuroNanoMed-III
Implementation period01.01.2020. – 31.12.2022.
Project coordinatorProf. Valentin Cena, CIBERNED-ISCIII, Spain
Project partnersCNRS Sciences Chimiques, France
Université de Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Latvia
Kaohsiung Medical University, Taiwan
Ramon y Cajal University Hospital, Spain
Glycovax Pharma Inc., Canada
Leader of Latvian teamDr. Aiva Plotniece
Total costs€ 1 967 240
Costs for Latvian partner
€ 210 000

Summary

Glioblastomas are among the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat cancers. Besides advances in treatment, most of the tumors relapse and become refractory to treatment, leading to a 2-year-survival rate as low as 10-15%.

This project aims to establish the experimental bases for a new treatment approach for glioblastoma. This approach is based on the combination of specific short fragments of genetic material (siRNAs) that will specifically eliminate proteins involved in the proliferation of glioblastoma cells and the increase uptake of anticancer drugs such as temozolomide by glioblastoma cells. For this purpose, we will use nanoparticles as carriers for both compounds (siRNA and an anticancer drug). These nanoparticles will deliver their cargo selectively to the glioblastoma cells using specific molecules attached to them that will find complementary molecules located in the tumor.