Researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine have developed tiny silica nanoparticles that destroyed aggressive prostate cancer tumors in mice while boosting the immune system. The treatment led to complete remissions when combined with immunotherapy.
The nanoparticles, called Cornell Prime Dots, were tested in mouse models of aggressive prostate cancer. They triggered a form of cell death known as ferroptosis and shifted tumors from an immune-resistant state to one that attracts cancer-fighting cells.
In survival studies, the particles alone modestly extended survival. Combining them with immune checkpoint blockade produced complete or near-complete remissions in four of ten mice. Adding a third therapy targeting tumor-associated macrophages raised complete remissions to five of ten mice.
Senior author Dr. Michelle Bradbury said the approach could represent a new clinical paradigm. The team plans to move the work toward human clinical trials. The study was published June 15 in Cancer Research.
