Naughty immature neuroblastoma cancer cells in check thanks to a new drug

This project was selected in the framework of our European call: FIGHT KIDS CANCER 2022. It is jointly financed by Imagine for Margo, Kriibskrank Kanner Fondatioun and KickCancer.

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Despite the current intensive treatments, the chances of survival for children with neuroblastoma that has come back (in relapse) remain unacceptably low, with less than 20% of children achieving a long-term cure.

Five years ago, it was demonstrated that neuroblastoma tumour cells in the relapsed patients responding to treatment and those in the patients not responding to treatments were different.

In the patients not responding to treatments, it was discovered that the cells causing the relapses resemble immature cells type and it was suggested that those cells can escape chemotherapy and seed the lethal relapses in neuroblastoma.

A drug that could kill those immature neuroblastoma cells would probably help those patients. One was previously discovered but unfortunately, it was not suitable for patients.

This project aims to test a new generation of that class of drug, called GEN1029, on a mouse xenograft relapse model for neuroblastoma to see if this drug is capable of inhibiting the developments of relapses.

In parallel, the project will aim at enabling us to detect the presence of immature tumour cells in human neuroblastoma tumours.

This project will as a result deliver all information required to decide whether to test the new GEN1029 drug.

Ultimately, this project could lead to the opening of a clinical trial where the new GEN1029 drug can be added to current therapy for patients in relapse in whom immature neuroblastoma cells are detected in the hope to increase their chances of survival.