Special Delivery
A local research team has successfully developed a technology for a nanocomplex that can safely deliver an immunity-boosting substance to immune cells. The research findings are expected to help cancer treatment become more effective and contribute to the prevention of cancer recurrence.
Lim Yong-taek, professor at the School of Chemical Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University, and Park Young-min, professor at the School of Medicine at Konkuk University, announced on June 25 that their research team succeeded in developing a technique for a nanocomplex that protects an immunity-boosting substance so that it can be safely delivered to immune cells around cancer cells.
The research team connected an anionic polymer (hyaluronic acid) with an immunity-boosting substance in an arboriform shape, and put a cationic polymer (poly-L-lysine) on it. They were able to maximize the delivery efficiency of the nanocomplex inside cells by creating a monocomplex using the forces of attraction between positive and negative ions. The substances that were used were all friendly to the human body.
Professor Lim explained, “We found that after injecting the nanocomplex into mice struck with cancer, the efficiency of cancer treatments increased eight times more than when using an immunity-boosting substance alone,” adding, “We once again injected cancer cells into a group of experimental mice already cured of cancer, but their cancer did not return.” He concluded by saying, “I hope that the newly-developed technique will contribute to the development of immunity-strengthening drugs that can fight various kinds of diseases, including cancer.”