Researchers from King’s College London and Erasmus MC in the Netherlands have called for further funding support in a recently published white paper to investigate the use of radioactive cancer-targeted drugs to improve cancer treatments.
The white paper, Unlocking the Full Potential of Cancer Treatments Using Targeted Radionuclide Therapy through Netherlands-UK Partnerships, outlined three strategic recommendations to achieve this.
Most radioactive drugs are used to specifically deliver a radiation dose to cancer cells to produce a therapeutic effect. They are used to treat the disease areas identified on medical scans but can also specifically target the microscopic tumour deposits, which are involved in the progression of the disease.
More specifically, targeted radionuclide therapy, a type of radiation therapy, is effective to treat prostate cancer and some other types of cancer where radionuclide, a radioactive chemical, is linked to cell-targeting molecules such as a monoclonal antibody and injected into the body to bind to a specific target found on some cancer cells.
“In order to improve the effectiveness of radionuclide therapy, it is crucial to gain a deeper understanding of the relationship between radiation dose and observed biological effects… which requires additional investment in scientific research,” said Dr Julie Nonnekens, associate professor in radiobiology of radionuclide therapy, Erasmus MC.
The white paper recommended strategically allocating funding to enhance mechanistic understanding of targeted radioactive drugs, facilitate UK-Netherland clinical trials in targeted radionuclide therapies and coordinate training initiatives.
“Many scientific unknowns in radiobiology, dosimetry and radiation response still need to be answered,” added Nonnekens.
Marjolein Bouwers, chief innovation advisor, Netherlands Embassy London, said: “To boost further innovation in this field, public-private partnerships and the availability of funding
mechanisms across all different stages of the supply chain are essential.”
Researchers are currently collecting endorsements to demonstrate to policymakers and funders how targeted radionuclide therapy is a crucial area of research that requires further investment.
