Magnetic Nanotechnology for cancer treatment

Cancer remains the second leading cause of deaths worldwide and every year, more than 8 million people die of it, while in the U.S. alone there are over 1.5 million new diagnoses. In the USA alone the overall cost to the health care system for treatment and support of cancer patients is $200 billion per year.
Cavendish NanoTherapeutics (CNT) is developing advanced treatment systems aimed at the targeted eradication of cancer tumours. CNT’s proprietary systems are based on magnetic nanotechnology and utilize nanoparticles loaded with anticancer drugs and guided towards the tumour site to selectively destroy it, in conjunction with externally applied electromagnetic excitation. Our trials have demonstrated significant effects in the reduction of the size of a tumour and a 50% - 300% increase in the survival rates (on average) of patients with various types of cancer. For example, we have demonstrated a tripling in the survival rates of patients with stage IIIA lung cancer, when our treatment protocol is applied in conjunction with traditional therapies. The key objectives of the TSB-funded project are: (i) to further develop the system that induces regional hyperthermia (MagTherm) and to proceed with CE certification and gaining approval from regulatory bodies, (ii) to refine the development of the second generation technology based on the use of magnetic nanoparticles for targeted eradication of cancer cells, (iii) to set up a reactor-chamber for the production of nanoparticles with improved physical and biochemical properties and to (iv) fully characterise the nanoparticles together with the systems used for the generation of the external electromagnetic irradiation (Magtherm system).
CNT is as a spin off company from the Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge and benefits from access to facilities and expertise at Cambridge and at the National Cancer Institute, Kiev, with which a collaboration has been established.