FORNY20-FORNY2020

Primary cancer occurring in the abdominal organs often leads to metastases in the peritoneal cavity, so-called peritoneal carcinomatosis. Peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) is a deadly condition since it in most cases appears at a late-stage cancer disease. State-of-the-art treatment for includes aggressive surgical tumour removal combined with intraperitoneal chemotherapy. However, available treatment regimens are not effective, and the survival rate of patients diagnosed with PC is low. SINTEF have developed a novel drug delivery system that represents a safer and more efficient treatment of PC. Local intraperitoneal delivery of drug loaded nanoparticles ensures high local concentration of chemotherapeutics in the peritoneal cavity, and less systemic toxicity. The nanoparticles are designed to give a prolonged retention time of the drug in the peritoneum. The drug delivery platform is protected by patent applications. In a collaboration with Radiumhospitalet, we have verified that nanoparticles injected directly into the peritoneal cavity of mice with PC resulted in both substantially increased overall survival and prolonged lifetime compared to injection of drug. The major goal of this project was lead optimisation of our lead candidate (ENPEROTO - newly re-branded as PACAB-001) and verification of its potential as a safer and more efficient treatment of metastatic cancer in the peritoneal cavity compared to standard-of-care. The ENPERITO project has put SINTEF in the position to reach critical milestones forming the basis for an investment in a new company, with the aim to commercialize this promising drug delivery platform. The goal is to spin-off a company from SINTEF in 2022, and funding from FORNY have been enabling to reach this goal.

Oppnådde virkninger SINTEF har forsket og satset på utvikling av nanomedisiner over en 10-årsperiode. Finansiering fra Forskningsrådet og andre kilder har vært muliggjørende for satsingen. FORNY-prosjektet ENPERITO har bragt gode forskningsresultater fra SINTEF et stort steg nærmere kommersialisering. Prosjektet har fått signaler om interesse og investeringsvilje blant private investorer etter at verifiseringsprosjektet er gjennomført. Potensielle virkninger - Prosjektet støtter direkte opp under FNs bærekraftsmål 3 som er å sikre god helse og fremme livskvalitet for alle, uansett alder. Delmål 3.4 er å redusere antall tidlige dødsfall som følge av ikke-smittsomme sykdommer, som kreft, med en tredjedel. - Prosjektet vil kunne bidra til flere arbeidplasser, verdiskaping og økt konkurransekraft i Norge, da SINTEF har en ambisjon om å starte et selskap basert på resultater fra prosjektet.