BioMark Diagnostics Inc. announce the publication of a preclinical study demonstrating therapeutic capabilities of its SAT1 cancer marker in glioblastoma (GB) cells using an ionizable lipid nanoparticle. The study published as part of the special issue of Cancers "Novel Techniques and Technology for Treatment of Brain Tumors", reports that Spermidine/spermine N1-acetyltransferase 1 (SAT1) inhibition using an ionizable lipid nanoparticle-based siRNA delivery system appears to provide a safe and effective method to sensitizing GB cells to radiation and chemotherapeutic agents. Glioblastoma is an aggressive form of brain cancer with no effective cure.

The current treatment for GB involves surgical removal of the tumor followed by chemotherapy and radiation therapy. However, GB develops chemo and radiation therapy resistance, leading to tumor recurrence. GB cells, in comparison to normal cells, have high metabolic rates and adapt several cell signaling pathways to promote their survival.

With current treatments, the median survival time of patients is 15 months. There is great need to investigate novel strategies to treat GB and effectively monitor response to treatment. Hence, identifying and inhibiting these tumor protecting pathways can be helpful to manage GB therapy better.