Ulster company pioneers new cancer treatment

It has been revealed that a University of Ulster spin-out company has developed a pioneering laboratory technique which can be used to destroy the cells of cancerous tumours.

Gendel, based at the University's Science Park in Coleraine, plans to take the new technique – which uses ultrasound techniques – to clinical trials in two year's time. The aim is to develop a non-invasive method to target tumours which are difficult to treat with current therapies - especially those of the head, neck and oesophagus.

The Gendel technique relies on the application of an electric field to a tumour to make it susceptible to a follow-up blast of ultrasound. The combination, says the company, appears to cause tumour cells to self-destruct.

The technology is an extension of the Gendel's current technology for drug delivery based on loading a patient's red blood cells with drugs and releasing them at specific sites in the body by application of ultrasound.

Researchers Professor Tony McHale found that when this technique was applied to tumour cells in laboratory tests, the cells were killed.

"The tissue simply disappears and gets absorbed back into the body," said Gendel CEO, Dr Les Russell.

The objective is to produce a portable device with disposable electrodes that contains kit for both internal and external procedures. Aside from time for anaesthesia, the whole procedure would probably take little more than five minutes, said Dr Russell.

"It's certainly an exciting development which gave startling results and may complement existing cancer treatments, but there are many studies and developments that need to be carried out before the technology is ready for human trials."

(GMcG)