A ‘smart’ DNA-based system that precisely identifies cancer cells and releases drugs only at the tumour site has been developed by researchers at the University of Geneva (UNIGE) in Switzerland.
A major challenge in oncology today is targeting cancer cells without damaging healthy surrounding tissue. The research team at UNIGE has developed a ‘smart’ drug based on synthetic DNA strands that can do just that, in a process similar to two-factor authentication on a banking website.
While there are currently methods capable of delivering drugs precisely to cancer cells – antibody-drug conjugates being the most promising – they face limitations such as poor tissue penetration, large size and restricted drug payload capacity.
In comparison, UNIGE’s new DNA-based technology offers advantages as the DNA components are relatively small, can move through tumours more easily and deliver higher drug concentrations.
The way it works is that the system’s independent DNA strands carry distinct components...