A new Horizon Europe-funded project that aims to develop a novel and promising therapy for treating gliomas.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement number 101129705.
UK participants in Horizon Europe Project GlioLighT are supported by UKRI grant number 10110169.
Register Now
ABOUT THE PROJECT
Glioma is an extremely lethal cancer due largely to the inaccessible nature of the brain and the diffusion of cells from the tumour site. These diffuse cells are usually too deeply embedded in the brain to safely remove by current means.
Targeted Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) generation is a promising treatment option for selectively eliminating glioma, including diffuse cells. However, the only current method of targeted ROS generation is photodynamic therapy (PDT), which uses expensive and potentially toxic photosensitizers (PS) that are ineffective against distant diffused cells and have numerous treatment limitations.
These toxicities have severely limited enthusiasm and clinical adoption of PDT. Recent developments using 5-Aminolevulinic Acid (5-ALA) induced protoporphyrin IX (PPIX) as a less toxic PS have shown promising results in clinical trials, establishing interstitial 5-ALA-PDT as the state-of-the-art for targeted ROS generation.
1
O
2
GlioLightT proposes Direct Light Therapy (DLT) as a novel method of generating targeted ROS. DLT uses light at 1267 nm to produce ROS species, in glioma cells independently of PS.
The removal of PS will transform glioma treatment, allowing novel treatment modalities to vastly improve efficacy and provide earlier intervention options, all at a lower cost and complexity.
While the underlying principles of DLT have been demonstrated, little is known about how DLT achieves its anti-cancer effects, or the extent of its therapeutic benefits. GlioLightT will investigate DLT technology independently and in comparison to PDT, drawing on decades of accumulated PDT knowledge and technological development. The effect of DLT on glioma and the brain, with a focus on immunogenicity, will be investigated to determine DLT efficacy, safety, and mechanisms of action.
(a potent ROS species) generation in
astrocytes following continuous wave (CW) DLT (top two images), and suppression of glioma growth in rat brain using CW-DLT (bottom images).
Novel ultrashort pulse (USP) light sources will be developed to maximise optical penetration while minimising safety risks, ensuring that DLT is appropriate for clinical use.
Finally, the development of the preclinical GlioLightT delivery and sensing system (pcGlio-DSS), which is ready for the next stages of clinical translation, will bring DLT one step closer to significantly improving glioma treatment in Europe and worldwide.
Project Objectives
- Develop and characterise USP-DLT source technology to minimise thermal effects and maximise penetration depth delivered by DLT.
- Understand the mechanisms of action and effects of DLT on glioma and the brain.
- Develop and test a combined DLT and 5-ALA-PDT light delivery and monitoring system (pcGlio-DSS).
- Demonstrate the therapeutic benefits of DLT.
GlioLight coordinator. Leading research on the mechanisms of action and protective effects of DLT.
PARTNERS
Leading research on the potential side-effects and safety of DLT on the brain
Leading development of DLT laser source technology.
Leading development of a preclinical DLT/PDT system
Leading assessment of optical tissue properties, treatment, and side effects of DLT.
Supporting project management and maximising project impact
