IIT Delhi’s pre-clinical trial on cure for brain cancer shows promise

Glioblastoma, the most common and aggressive type of cancerous brain tumor in adults, poses significant treatment challenges despite available options like surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Patients diagnosed with glioblastoma typically have a life expectancy of only 12–18 months post-diagnosis.

Researchers at IIT Delhi have given such patients a ray of hope with their study, published in the journal Biomaterials, possibly discovering a novel treatment to cure brain tumors. Working under the guidance of Dr Jayanta Bhattacharyya, Associate Professor, Centre for Biomedical Engineering, IIT Delhi, a PhD student named Vidit Gaur conducted the study.

Vidit developed a novel nanoformulation, namely Immunosomes, which combines a CD40 agonist antibody with the small molecule inhibitor RRX-001. In this study, mice bearing glioblastoma treated with Immunosomes showed complete eradication of the tumor and remained tumor-free for at least three months. This treatment generated a strong host immune response to fight against brain cancer.