A new prostate cancer “homing device” for drug delivery
July 7th, 2009 Posted in prostate cancer, prostate cancer diagnosisA research team at Purdue University has synthesized a molecule that finds and penetrates prostate cancer cells and has created imaging agents and therapeutic drugs that can link to the molecule and be carried with it as cargo. According to researchers, this new prostate cancer “homing device” could improve detection and allow for the first targeted treatment of the disease.
A radioimaging agent linked to the targeting molecule will be injected into prostate cancer patients and pictures will be taken using a special camera that detects radioactivity. The pictures show where the cancer is present to help doctors determine if it has metastasized, or spread, to any other areas of the body. It also will help doctors decide on the best course of treatment.
A clinical trial of the radioimaging application is expected to begin at the Indiana University Medical Center in the fall through a collaboration between the Purdue Cancer Center and the Indiana University Cancer Center with additional support from Endocyte Inc. An optical imaging application used to measure prostate cancer cells in blood samples is already in clinical trials.