Senolytika‑3: New drugs against tumour recurrence : Date: , Theme: GO-Bio next
Tumour recurrences often arise from cancer cells that transition into a temporary dormant state (senescence) during primary therapy. These “sleeping” tumour cells can, however, become active again later and trigger recurrences. The “Senolytika‑3” project is developing active substances that specifically eliminate such senescent tumour cells. The goal is to prevent recurrences and significantly improve patients’ chances of recovery.
Despite great progress in oncology, surviving tumour cells often lead to recurrences after initially successful chemotherapeutic treatment. The treated cells enter a kind of “dormant state” (senescence): they no longer divide but remain metabolically active. Later, however, they can transition back into the active cell cycle and thus form a tumour that is usually even more aggressive. Particularly in the case of difficult-to-treat tumours such as glioblastoma, the recurrence rate is nearly 100%. For those affected, this means a considerable psychological burden and limited life prospects, even after initially successful therapy.
Targeted elimination of dormant tumour cells
This is where “Senolytika‑3” comes in. The team at the Free University of Berlin is developing novel active substances that specifically eliminate senescent cancer cells (senolytics) while sparing healthy tissue. In combination with established chemotherapies, the aim is to address the entire spectrum of tumour cells, both active and senescent. In the long term, this approach offers the opportunity to reduce recurrence rates and increase the quality of life for those affected.
More on funded GO-Bio projects on the overview page