Why we funded it
Professor Threadgill's team has a wide range of expertise in
designing tumour-selective drug delivery systems and new anticancer
drugs. This project could lead towards a new selective approach to
selective chemotherapy of prostate cancer.
Scientific title
A new approach to delivery of super potent drugs to prostate
tumours
Research project summary
Professor Threadgill's group are attempting to develop a new
molecular drug system to treat prostate cancer. The team hopes this
system will concentrate drugs in prostate tumours and release drugs
toxic to cells in a highly selective fashion, avoiding release
outside the prostate. They are planning to attach drugs to a
non-toxic delivery molecule called PEG, which is attracted to solid
tumours like prostate cancer, thus creating a delivery system for
the drug which only becomes active once it has reached its targeted
destination. The drug molecules will be joined to the PEG through a
link that is designed to be broken by the PSA enzyme. As PSA is
present only in the prostate, drugs will be delivered in an active
form only to prostate cells and the tumour. This should then kill
the tumour cells highly effectively and with fewer side effects
from cell death in other tissues and organs.