Tiny self-moving carriers to treat rare mucus-filled abdominal cancer more effectively

Samuel Sánchez

Fundació Institut de Bioenginyeria de Catalunya, Spain

Pseudomyxoma peritonei is a rare cancer in which thick mucus accumulates in the abdomen, blocking medicines from reaching tumour cells. Current treatment, mainly surgery and chemotherapy, often fails, creating an urgent need for new therapeutic options. This project aims to develop tiny self-moving carriers that can travel through dense mucus, reach cancer cells and deliver anti-cancer treatment more effectively.

Building on evidence that active carriers can penetrate mucus better than passive particles, the researchers will design safer and more precise systems able to carry anti-cancer drugs and recognise tumour cells. They will then test them in patient-derived samples and disease models to assess movement, ability to target tumour cells and therapeutic effect. The team combines expertise in nanotechnology, cancer biology, artificial intelligence and disease models and will work closely with patient associations to ensure the development reflects patient needs.

This technology could provide a new treatment option for people with pseudomyxoma peritonei. The system might be adaptable to other tumours in which mucus or dense tissue obstruct treatment delivery.

• Jordi Martínez-Quintanilla, Fundació privada Institut Investigació Oncologica Vall d'Hebron (VHIO), Spain

• Asociación Peritoneum, Spain

• Fundació Catalunya – La Pedrera Fundació Especial, Spain

Enzymatic nanomotors with phenotypic targeting crossing mucus layers for rare diseases in oncology

€999,062.77