Russian scientists have unveiled a new method to enhance the effectiveness of drugs based on the asparaginase enzyme, used to treat leukemia, by adding positively charged polymer molecules to the drug's nano-lipid coating. The Russian Science Foundation announced this innovation, which could increase the drug's efficacy by approximately eightfold.
Professor Elena Kudryashova from Moscow State University said:
"Linking the polymers to the asparaginase enzyme and incorporating it into liposomes not only improved the enzyme's effectiveness and stability, but also enhanced its mechanism of action through selective entry into cancer cells. This improved drug is likely to enhance the clinical outcomes of leukemia and other malignant tumors sensitive to this treatment."
It is worth noting that asparaginase is widely used in chemotherapy for children with leukemia, as tumor cells are unable to produce the amino acid asparagin themselves, and therefore breaking down this acid leads to the cessation of new protein production and the death of cancer cells.
Typically, patients repeated injections of the enzyme to ensure the effectiveness of the treatment, because its molecules break down rapidly in the blood, increasing the risk of immune responses against the foreign protein.
Scientists have tried to solve this problem by encapsulating the enzyme inside liposomes, and have found that the effectiveness and lifespan of these particles in the blood can be increased using positively charged polyamines.
This bond stabilizes the enzyme and increases its interaction with negatively charged molecules in the nano-encapsulation.
The concentration of the drug in the nanoparticles increases by 35-40% .
It slows down the release of the drug by 2-3 times .
It increases the drug's effectiveness against cancer cells by about eight times .
This development will allow in the future for improved effectiveness and safety of acute leukemia treatment , reducing the need for repeated injections and minimizing potential immunological complications.