Research Training Group Tumor-Targeted Drug Delivery

The overarching goal of the Research Training Group (RTG) entitled "Tumor-Targeted Drug Delivery" [2(TD)] is to address current challenges in the development of drug delivery for tumor diseases and to explore therapeutic and theranosetic scenarios that lead to improved patient outcomes and offer a clear perspective for clinical translation.

While the majority of drug delivery research consortia in Germany and Europe primarily focus on novel materials for nanomedicine, 2(TD) will concentrate on medical needs and clinical applications, aiming to systematically identify and overcome pitfalls in the translation of tumor-targeted drug delivery concepts. To this end, the 2(TD) consortium will generate knowledge and foster collaboration at the interfaces of the key fields of tumor biology, chemical engineering, and clinical medicine.

While the majority of drug delivery research consortia in Germany and Europe primarily focus on novel materials for nanomedicine, 2(TD) will concentrate on medical needs and clinical applications, aiming to systematically identify and overcome obstacles in the translation of tumor-targeted drug delivery concepts. The Research Training Group 2(TD) aims to generate fundamental knowledge and translational strategies for improving the treatment of cancer patients with DDS-based targeted drug therapies. The interdisciplinary and international nature of 2(TD) will enhance the quality and visibility of our research and improve the training and career prospects of our doctoral students.

Complex biopharmaceuticals such as antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and recombinant immunotoxins (RITs) enable the targeted delivery of toxic protein drugs to cancer cells (as drug-disrupting systems). While ADCs incur high production costs because the monoclonal antibody and the toxic drug must be produced separately and then chemically coupled, RITs can be manufactured as a single fusion protein, which could reduce costs.

Plants have proven to be the most efficient environment for their production, as RITs can be targeted to different compartments where they do not interfere with host metabolism. Plant cell packs (PCPs), derived from plant suspension cells, provide a high-throughput screening platform for the production of recombinant protein candidates in plants. Within the framework of the GRK 2(TD), Fraunhofer applies this know-how in antibody engineering and fusion protein design for DDS development and provides small quantities of the target protein (mg range) to the other partners of the GRK.