Nanoparticle/chemo combo zaps lung cancer

[RandyW]

Nanoparticle/chemo combo zaps lung cancer

AUSTIN, Texas, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- Introgen said Monday its nanoparticle-based tumor suppressor NPRL2 used in combination with chemotherapy fights drug-resistant lung cancer.

The biotech company said new data from animal studies show the systemic treatment with the combination of NPRL2 and the chemotherapy drug cisplatin caused a 90-percent inhibition of tumor growth in human lung cancer cells, compared to standard treatments.

The NPRL2 gene -- thought to be key in the genesis of cancers including lung and renal cell -- is licensed to Introgen from the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, the company said.

It appears from the research that a lung-cancer patient's level of the NPRL2 gene can predict whether the patient will resist cisplatin chemotherapy, with low levels signaling resistance.

But by reintroducing the gene, patients will respond to cisplatin, which is a standard treatment for lung cancer.

"The ability to use a simple biomarker assay for NPRL2 to identify patients who would not derive benefit from cisplatin represents an important advance and underscores the significance of NPRL2 in lung cancer," said Sunil Chada, Introgen's associate vice president for clinical research and development.

"Development of NPRL2 gene drugs using systemic nanoparticle delivery may help patients whose tumors are resistant to cisplatin by re-sensitizing tumors to this commonly used therapy," he said.