Issues

Tel Aviv team develops RNA ‘missiles’ to directly target cancer cells

A team of researchers at Tel Aviv University has developed a breakthrough RNA-based drug delivery system to target diseased cells that could improve the treatment of blood cancers, various types of solid cancers, different inflammatory diseases and viral diseases – including coronavirus.

“Today, we flood the body with antibodies that, although selective, damage all the cells that express a specific receptor, regardless of their current form,” explained Prof. Dan Peer, TAU’s vice president for Research and Development, who led the study. “We have now taken healthy cells out of the equation that can help us – that is, uninflamed cells – and via a simple injection into the bloodstream [we] can silence, express or edit a particular gene exclusively in the cells that are inflamed at that given moment.”

 

Read More: J Post