LUMIBLAST

Background

Brain cancers such as glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are practically incurable, due to their location, invasiveness, and highly aggressive nature. The use of light-based treatments of glioblastoma multiforme by activating tumor-localized photosensitizers, such as in photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been clinically evaluated, but with limited success. Moreover, the existing photon-based treatments (photodynamic therapy) are highly invasive and usually require open-cranium surgery, due to the need for external light sources.

Technology Overview

LUMIBLAST technology aims to develop an innovative treatment that will treat, in a non-invasive way, difficult to reach cancerous tumors, such as glioblastoma multiforme (glioblastoma multiforme / malignant brain tumor). This treatment will use the energy itself produced by the mitochondria of cancer cells for their self-sustaining destruction.

Stage of Development

Today, the invention is in TRL* 4, with the next steps being:

• Successful application of the technology in orthotopic models.
• Development of the appropriate biocompatible formulation.

Benefits

• Treatment of hard-to-reach tumors (brain cancer, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer, etc).
• Low toxicity and high selectivity (health cells not to be targeted).
• Non-invasive technique.
• Low cost compared to existing therapies.

Applications

Therapeutic drug for hard-to-reach tumors.

Opportunity

National & Kapodistrian University of Athens in collaboration with Inven2 are seeking to collaborate and/or license the technology to a pharmaceutical company for scale-up development and commercialization.

Patents