Belarusian and Chinese Scientists Create Specific Nanoparticles for Cancer Treatment

Belarusian and Chinese scientists have successfully completed a project to develop polymer nanoparticles for the treatment of malignant tumors. This technology forms the basis of a new method—sonic dynamic therapy—that enables the targeted destruction of cancer cells.

Two years passed from the start of the research to the first milestone. Belarusian scientists, together with their Chinese colleagues, created specific nanoparticles (objects so tiny that they cannot be seen with a standard school microscope). Thanks to their unique properties, they can penetrate and accumulate within tumor cells without their detection.

Viktor Abashkin, head of a laboratory at the Institute of Biophysics and Cell Engineering of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus:

"Our project, in collaboration with Donghua University, focused on the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult-to-treat cancer types today, primarily due to the formation of a so-called hyaluronic acid shell, making it difficult for even traditional drugs to penetrate. The immune system also has difficulty detecting this tumor. Our idea was to create specific nanoparticles."

The project involves injecting nanoparticles into the body and concentrating them specifically in tumor cells. Ultrasound then works. Under the influence of ultrasound, these particles trigger specific reactions that destroy the cancer cell from the inside. The initial studies were conducted on mice.

"Mice were inoculated with a tumor model, simulating pancreatic cancer. When these nanoparticles were administered, they accumulated quite well because they were specifically designed. When irradiated with ultrasound, we destroyed the tumor, in some cases leading to 100% tumor disappearance in the mice," explained Viktor Abashkin.

Another key feature is that this therapy not only kills the tumor but also stimulates the patient's immune system to fight the disease. Researchers from the Institute of Biophysics and Cell Engineering of the National Academy of Sciences are conducting the research jointly with Donghua University, a leading scientific institution in Shanghai.

Dmitry Shcherbin, Head of Department at the Institute of Biophysics and Cell Engineering of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Doctor of Biological Sciences, Professor:

"We collaborate with the so-called key laboratory, headed by Professor Shi. It's key because the Chinese government granted special permission, recognizing their high scientific level. All of this concerns nanoparticles and their research in biology and medicine."

However, in some mice, nanoparticles also accumulated in healthy organs, such as the heart or spleen. Research will continue to eliminate this accumulation. Experts say this could take five years or more.

This issue has been studied in several countries, but no one has yet received final certification. Perhaps, the Belarusians and Chinese will be the first.