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Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine and Northwestern University have developed a noninvasive nasal-drop treatment that delivers cancer-fighting nanomedicine directly to the brain, reported Newsweek.
The experimental approach, which has demonstrated strong results in mouse studies, offers a potential breakthrough in the treatment of glioblastoma, one of the most aggressive and lethal brain cancers.
Glioblastoma affects more than 12,000 people in the United States each year and is notoriously difficult to treat because of its rapid progression and the protective barriers surrounding the brain. Standard therapies, including surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, provide limited survival benefits and do not cure the disease.
The new nasal treatment uses spherical nucleic acids (SNAs), precisely engineered nanostructures designed to activate the STING pathway, an immune mechanism that helps the body recognize and attack abnormal cells. When administered into the nasal cavity, the SNAs travel along neural pathways to reach the brain and initiate an immune response inside the tumor.
“In the lab, we use carefully dosed liquid drops in the nose of mice,” said neurosurgeon and study author Alexander Stegh. “This research shows that engineered nanostructures can safely and effectively activate potent immune pathways within the brain, redefining how cancer immunotherapy can be achieved in difficult-to-access tumors.”
Glioblastoma tumors are considered “cold,” meaning they fail to trigger a strong immune response. The nasal SNA therapy appeared to “warm” these tumors, increasing immune activity and enhancing the performance of checkpoint inhibitors—the drugs used to stimulate T-cell responses.
In combination with a T-cell–activating drug, the nanodrops eradicated tumors in mice with only one or two doses and generated long-term immunity that prevented recurrence. The treatment also showed remarkable selectivity, concentrating in the brain and avoiding other organs where side effects could occur.
Study author Akanksha Mahajan noted that previous STING-based therapies required direct injection into the tumor, a highly invasive process. “We wanted to minimize what patients would have to endure when they are already ill,” she said.
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