It’s been over a decade since the groundbreaking lipid nanoparticles (Porphysomes) were first discovered in the lab of Dr. Gang Zheng’s team at the Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (PM), University Health Network. With funding from Terry Fox, the team has explored the potential of these amazing tiny, non-toxic particles to transform image-guided cancer treatments.
With a veterinary clinical trial undertaken in 2022 (funded by the Canadian Cancer Society) and human clinical trials on the horizon this year, the new technology offers hope for a future where minimally invasive treatments will significantly improve the survival and quality of life for cancer patients in Canada and beyond.
Today, the vision of the leaders of this groundbreaking development, Dr. Zheng and his PM co-leads Drs. Jonathan Irish and Brian C Wilson, is to establish Porphysome-enabled interventions as the fifth pillar of cancer treatment, to be used alongside existing therapies to enhance their effectiveness and improve outcomes for patients.
“This renewal funding allows us to make an impact by going beyond the lab, beyond local treatment and beyond light-based therapies,” says Dr. Zheng, senior scientist and associate research director at PM. “Now, we aim to explore a new arm of immune therapy that targets metastasis, combining light-triggered immune therapy to potentially eliminate cancer spread and progression.”
Initially, the team used TFRI funds to conduct research from the ground up. “We explored Porphysomes’ safety and effectiveness across various cancers, utilizing these unique nanoparticles for imaging to guide surgery and for light-based treatments such as photodynamic therapy,” explains Jonathan Irish, a senior scientist/surgeon at PM. “Now, we're poised to take these powerful techniques from the lab to the patient, fundamentally changing cancer treatment.”
The team is moving to an exciting new level, with plans to launch clinical trials in patients in 2024. Their new tranche of Terry Fox renewal funding, totalling $7.5 million over five years, will enable them to achieve this, as well as to explore “next-generation” Porphysomes to address additional cancer challenges.
One area they will focus on involves the introduction of new technology to guide surgery with greater accuracy, helping to preserve normal tissue, eliminate residual disease at the surgical margins and ultimately reduce the risk of disease recurrence. These advancements are critical for improving patients’ survival and quality of life.
In recent pre-clinical studies, the team found that photodynamic therapy (PDT) can stimulate the body's immune response to fight cancer. This has the potential to stop the spread of cancer and destroy distant tumours, particularly when combined with standard immunotherapy. Porphysomes seem particularly powerful for this approach. The team will also explore the use of radioactively labelled Porphysomes and low doses of radiation to target deep-seated tumours, expanding the potential for Porphysomes to effectively treat cancers in a minimally invasive way.
"We continue because the potential to help patients is immense, and now we have the right experts at the right time,” says Dr. Brian C Wilson, senior scientist and the third principal investigator in this highly collaborative PPG. “This research is incredibly fascinating. It's these eureka moments that drive us forward, and the technology offers new directions and modalities we must explore.”
The clinical study to be started in the near future will aim to treat patients with oral/oropharyngeal, lung and endometrial/ovarian cancers, spanning early- to late-stages. These tumours have high incidence and there is an urgent need for better, minimally invasive treatment options.