SOUTH KINGSTOWN – A University of Rhode Island researcher is studying how genetically reengineered bacteria could be used to target and destroy cancerous tumors, including those that are difficult to reach with existing treatments.
Kaitlin Dailey, an assistant professor at the URI College of Pharmacy, is building on prior research involving oncolytic, or cancer-killing, bacteria by modifying a non-toxic strain to circulate through the bloodstream and reach metastatic tumors.
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The research focuses on Clostridium novyi-NonToxic, a bacterium that can activate the immune system when introduced into tumors. By engineering the microorganism, Dailey’s lab aims to enable intravenous delivery without causing sepsis, allowing it to reach tumors located throughout the body, including those associated with pancreatic cancer.
“By using a bacteria as our therapeutic mechanism, we can re-prime the immune system so that not only are we able to directly target the tumor, but we’ve effectively vaccinated against reoccurrence,” Dailey said.
Early trials in mice have shown success in targeting pancreatic tumors, according to the university. The next phase of the research is focused on enabling the bacteria to remain in circulation long enough to reach its target without being destroyed by the immune system.
“It’s a really common pharmacy concept: How do we increase the amount of time that our therapeutic is in circulation?” Dailey said. “We want to safely increase the circulation time and subsequently the amount of bacteria that gets to the tumor site.”
The work is part of a broader effort to develop new treatments for metastatic cancers by combining synthetic biology and immunotherapy approaches. If successful, the research could advance to human clinical trials.
