UCI team pioneers cancer treatment that targets bone metastases while sparing bone

Irvine, Calif., July 8, 2019 — University of California, Irvine researchers have developed and tested on mice a therapeutic treatment that uses engineered stem cells to target and kill cancer bone metastases while preserving the bone. 

This new approach, reported in the journal EBioMedicine, equips engineered mesenchymal stem cells with targeting agents that drive them to bone metastatic sites, where they offload therapeutics. Link to study: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352396419304281?via%3Dihub

“What’s powerful about this strategy is that we deliver a combination of both anti-tumor and anti-bone resorption agents so we can effectively block the vicious circle between cancers and their bone niche,” said the study’s lead author, Weian Zhao, associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences and biomedical engineering. “This is a safe and almost nontoxic treatment compared to chemotherapy, which often leaves patients with lifelong issues.”

Sandra Spivey, an Orange County patient advocate who has been living with metastatic breast cancer since 1997, has experienced firsthand the ravages of traditional treatment. “Chemotherapy can kill both cancer cells and normal cells and create drastic side effects,” she said. “I have lost my hair; I have lost sensation in my hands and feet. Most of all, chemotherapy really robs you of your time. This new targeted approach could improve quality of life both during and after treatment.”

The strategy could also be implemented with other bone diseases that are usually difficult to manage, such as multiple myeloma and osteoporosis.

“This study will pave the way to a clinical trial in the short term, as this type of stem cell has already been tested and deemed safe in the clinic,” Zhao said. “UCI’s Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sue & Bill Gross Stem Cell Research Center and Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center are fully equipped to conduct this type of clinical trial. We will look to target patients with bone metastases.”

Also contributing to the study were Aude Segaliny, Jason Cheng, Henry Farhoodi, Michael Toledano, Chih Chun Yu, Leanne Hildebrand, Linan Liu, Michael Liao, Jaedu Cho, Dongxu Liu, Lizhi Sun, Gultekin Gulsen and Min-Ying Su of UCI; and Beatrice Tierra and Dr. Robert Sah of UC San Diego.

Support was provided by the National Cancer Institute (P30CA062203), the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine, Irvine-based Baylx Inc. and France’s ARC Foundation for Cancer Research.

About the UCI School of Medicine

Each year, the UCI School of Medicine educates more than 400 medical students and nearly 150 PhD and MS students. More than 700 residents and fellows are trained at the UCI Medical Center and affiliated institutions. Multiple MD, PhD and MS degrees are offered. Students are encouraged to pursue an expansive range of interests and options. For medical students, there are numerous concurrent dual degree programs, including an MD/MBA, MD/MPH, or an MD/MS degree through one of three mission-based programs: the Health Education to Advance Leaders in Integrative Medicine (HEAL-IM), the Program in Medical Education for Leadership Education to Advance Diversity-African, Black and Caribbean (PRIME LEAD-ABC), and the Program in Medical Education for the Latino Community (PRIME-LC). The UCI School of Medicine is accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Accreditation and ranks among the top 50 nationwide for research. For more information, visit medschool.uci.edu.