science, health and technology
A UBC-led team has received more than $23 million in federal funding to develop precision radiopharmaceuticals that promise to transform cancer care in Canada and beyond.
Radiation has been a major component of cancer treatment for decades, with approximately 50% of cancer patients receiving radiotherapy during the course of their treatment.
Conventional radiation therapy is effective but relies on powerful energy beams that are fired from outside the body. Although these beams can kill cancer, their use is limited to specific locations, making them less suitable for difficult-to-treat metastatic cancers that have spread to multiple sites.
A Canadian team of researchers led by UBC has now received $23.7 million in federal funding to develop a new generation of radiation therapy known as radiopharmaceutical therapy.
Dr. François Bénard
This therapy works like a homing device. Using specially designed molecules, it seeks out radioactive isotopes and delivers them directly to cancer cells anywhere in the body. These radioactive warheads kill cancers with high precision while causing minimal harm to surrounding healthy tissue and causing minimal side effects to the patient.
“This is the holy grail of cancer therapy. These disease-targeting molecules circulate throughout the body, bind tightly to cancer cells, and eliminate them with a highly localized burst of energy.” Senior Executive Director of the BC Cancer Institute, a UBC affiliate of the State Department of Health Services.
Made in Canada medicine
Interdisciplinary research team includes researchers from UBC, BC Cancer, TRIUMF, Simon Fraser University, Université Laval, Université de Sherbrooke, Western University, Université of Toronto, Université of Alberta, and Lawson Health Research Institute .
One of the key challenges they hope to overcome is the global shortage of radioisotopes. The global supply of one of the promising elements, actinium-225, is equivalent to just a few grains of sand, not enough to treat more than 2,000 patients annually.
Dr. Paul Shaffer
Partnering with TRIUMF, Canada’s particle accelerator center, the team will use a cyclotron to produce enough clinical-grade isotopes to supply Canada and the world.
“Alpha-emitting isotopes like actinium-225 have great potential to change the way cancer is treated and significantly improve the health of patients,” said TRIUMF’s Director of Life Sciences. One Dr. Paul Schaffer said: “TRIUMF is pleased to leverage its laboratory space and capabilities to provide a large-scale increase in rare isotopes such as actinium-225 to collaborate on important ongoing research.”
The radioisotope binds to a targeting molecule that recognizes and binds to proteins on the surface of cancer cells. Another key component, known as a bifunctional chelating ligand, binds the radioisotope to the target molecule and ensures safe transport within the body.
Dr. Katerina Ramogida
In this project, we are designing biomolecules that target different types of cancer, including prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, and blood cancer.
“The modular nature of radiopharmaceutical design gives us the flexibility to customize each drug for a specific disease target,” said Co-Principal Investigator, TRIUMF and Simon Fraser University. Dr. Katerina Ramozida, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, said: “By using this adaptable approach, we have the potential to develop different drugs tailored to different types of cancer.”
bring treatment to the clinic
By integrating Canadian expertise in oncology, radiology, nuclear physics, nuclear engineering, chemistry, biology, clinical medicine and health economics, the team will develop multiple drug candidates into future clinical trials over the next few years. , hoping to accelerate its widespread adoption in Canada.
“We will establish Canada as a global leader in nuclear medicine, making these innovative medicines more accessible to Canadians and patients around the world,” said Dr. Benard. “These radiopharmaceuticals can significantly improve quality of life and life expectancy for patients with cancer, especially metastatic cancer, many of which are currently untreatable.”
Cancer remains the leading cause of death in Canada, with nearly one in two Canadians expected to be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime. One in four of her Canadians will die from the disease.
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