Development of a functional form of application of sugar fatty acid esters based on bacterial polyhydroxyalkanoates that inhibit cancer cell growth
Project title
Development of a functional form of application of sugar fatty acid esters based on bacterial polyhydroxyalkanoates that inhibit cancer cell growth
Name of Beneficiary/Beneficiaries
Instytut Katalizy i Fizykochemii Powierzchni im. Jerzego Habera Polskiej Akademii Nauk (IKiFP PAN) [Jerzy Haber Institute of Catalysis and Surface Chemistry Polish Academy of Sciences]
Narodowy Instytut Onkologii im. Marii Skłodowskiej-Curie – Państwowy Instytut Badawczy [Maria Skłodowska-Curie National Cancer Institute – National Research Institute]
Name of programme
TANGO
Competition
TANGO V
Project value
PLN 250,000.00
Funding value
PLN 250,000.00
Project delivery period
from 1 February 2022 to 31 January 2024
Meet our team
IKIFP:
Dr hab. Maciej Guzik, prof. IKiFP PAN
Dr Wojciech Snoch
Dr hab. Krzysztof Szczepanowicz, prof. IKiFP PAN
Dr Marta Szczęch
Dr hab. Mariusz Sołtysik, prof. UEK
NIO:
Dr hab. Michał Mikula, prof. NIO
Dr Małgorzata Statkiewicz
Dr Magdalena Cybulska-Lubak
See the results of our work
We have filed a patent application for the developed technology titled "Composition in the form of a nanoemulsion and its use in the treatment of cancers, especially colon cancer"
P.447923 with the Patent Office of the Republic of Poland on 4 March 2024.
The results of our research were presented at the international conference: W. Snoch, M. Statkiewicz, K. Szczepanowicz, I. Alexic, M. Guzik. (2024). Designing a functional nanoemulsion using lactose esters and modified monomers of bacterial polihydroxyalkanoates to improve anticancer activity of SN-38. 6th Symposium on Biotransformations for Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Industry, June 17-21, 2024, Kraków, Poland. https://biotransformation.urk.edu.pl
What problem does our project solve?
The project aims to develop a new form of cancer treatment based on special chemical compounds known as sugar fatty acid esters (SFAEs). These esters are derived from sugars like lactose and monomers originating from bacterial polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA), which are biological polyesters. Their unique chemical structure is intended not only to directly inhibit the growth of cancer cells but also to enhance the action of traditional anti-cancer drugs, such as SN-38 – the active metabolite of Irinotecan, commonly used in the treatment of colon cancer.
The main benefit of the project is the possibility of creating a more precise and effective cancer therapy that delivers the drug directly to cancer cells while limiting side effects on healthy tissues. Through the development of special nanoemulsions that will contain both SFAE and conventional drugs, it will be possible to reduce the required drug dosage, significantly minimising negative side effects.
In short, the project solves the problem of ineffective cancer therapies that expose patients to undesirable side effects. The developed technology will help improve the quality of life for patients by enabling more precise and less invasive cancer treatments.
Who will benefit from the project's results?
The main beneficiaries of the project will be cancer patients, especially those suffering from cancers like colon cancer or melanoma. Thanks to modern therapies based on sugar fatty acid esters (SFAE), combined with traditional anti-cancer drugs, patients will receive more effective and less toxic treatments. Additionally, medical and pharmaceutical institutions may implement new technologies in the production of anti-cancer drugs, contributing to the development of new therapeutic methods.
Furthermore, the cosmetic industry could utilise the research results on SFAE in the production of innovative skincare products aimed at supporting the fight against cancer cells. The project will also benefit scientists and entrepreneurs, advancing new technologies in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors.