aws PreSeed funding for the development of a new anticancer drug

17.10.2018

Nadine S. Sommerfeld, Christian Kowol and Petra Heffeter have received a grant for the (pre)clinical development of the platinum compound "Albuplatin"

"Albuplatin", a new platinum compound for anticancer therapy has been developed by the research cluster "Translational Cancer Therapy Research". The interdisciplinary team led by Christian Kowol (Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, University of Vienna) and Petra Heffeter (Institute of Cancer Research, Medical University of Vienna) focused on a new double prodrug strategy that enables an inactivated drug to accumulate at the tumor tissue due to albumin hitch hiking. Inside the tumor cell the drug is selectively activated unfolding its anticancer potential.

With the PreSeed funding of the federal ministry for transport, innovation and technology (BMVIT), executed by the Austria Wirtschaftssservice (aws), the scientists are now able to take the next steps towards preclinical and clinical development of Albuplatin. The project will be managed by Nadine S. Sommerfeld, an alumna of the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry.