July 23, 2008 — The University of North Carolina, Greensboro (UNCG) and the NC Nanotech Accelerator (NCNA) have joined forces to develop a treatment for cancerous tumors that could reduce the side effects, such as hair loss and nausea, associated with current treatment methods.
Developed in UNCG’s Center for Research Excellence in Nanobiosciences (CREN), this is the first innovation licensed to the NC NanoAccelerator, a resource designed to provide new technologies a quick route to commercialization. The work will be done in a newly formed company, Thermiacure Corp.
The novelty of the new technology stems for its potential to deliver cancer-killing treatment directly to various tumor sites, thereby possibly reducing the dosage of chemotherapy agents. The carrier for the treatment is a specially treated strain of non-pathogenic bacteria that will seek out tumors and ignore healthy cells. The carriers are also excellent imaging agents for an MRI. This will enable physicians to ensure the carriers have reached the proper locations before using a pulsing magnetic field to trigger the release of the chemo and commence hyperthermia.
There could be significant advantages to this novel use of tumor-seeking bacteria:
1. Targeted delivery could help avoid damage to healthy cells.
2. Smaller doses of chemotherapy agents could dramatically reduce side effects such as nausea, hair loss and general weakness.
3. The treatment could be delivered easily via the bloodstream and a simple IV.
4. Because the bacteria are easy to trace on an MRI, physicians would be able to monitor treatment delivery and take steps to capture bacteria that go astray.
Dr. Rosemary Wander, associate provost for research and public/private sector partnerships at UNCG, said, “This agreement is exciting and holds the promise of significant benefits to cancer patients worldwide. This is a major step for UNCG’s focus on entrepreneurial efforts coming from research on campus.”
Dr. Yousef Haik, head of CREN, said, “I am delighted to see my work given the support and direction needed to achieve FDA approval and reach the market as quickly as possible. This validates our nano-bioscience research at CREN and will encourage us to move quickly with other work underway.”
Dr. Reyad Sawafta, President of NCNA and host QuarTek, said, “We are pleased that UNCG recognized the value of the NCNA and the benefits of partnering with us. We are impressed by this innovation from the new center and believe it holds significant promise for both commercial and humanitarian success. We are honored to be working closely with UNCG and the center.”
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching has classified UNCG a research university with “high research activity.” Under the guidance of Chancellor Patricia A. Sullivan and Dr. Rosemary Wander, associate provost for research and public/private sector partnerships, UNCG has seen an increase in its research funding and in its efforts to commercialize the innovations resulting from the activities of its faculty, staff and students.
The Center for Research Excellence in Nanobiosciences was established in late 2006 by a grant from the state.