On the occasion of International Breast Cancer Day, observed every October 19 to raise awareness about early detection and to support research on this disease, the “Asymmetric Synthesis and Functional Nanosystems” Research Group, led by Dr. Noureddine Khiar at the Institute of Chemical Research (IIQ)—a joint center of the CSIC and the University of Seville—presents a promising advance in the fight against breast cancer. The team has developed supramolecular micelles, nanoparticles designed to transport drugs and imaging agents directly to the tumor, with the aim of improving treatment efficacy and reducing side effects. The research article, published in the Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, is part of a multidisciplinary project focused on cancer theranostics using organic, inorganic, and hybrid nanomaterials.
This date highlights the importance of scientific work and the commitment of researchers to developing new therapeutic strategies that help improve the lives of people affected by this disease.
A global challenge: triple-negative breast cancer
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat forms of breast cancer, due to the lack of specific molecular targets. The micelles developed by the team are extremely small—about 10,000 times thinner than a human hair—and have proven to be stable, easy to produce, and capable of carrying therapeutic and diagnostic compounds.
Although the study shows that fructose does not enhance active targeting toward tumor cells, both formulations exhibit key properties that make them a general technological platform for the theranostics of different solid cancers. In fact, in previous studies on prostate cancer, the same group demonstrated very promising results.
A message of hope
This advance represents a significant step toward the development of more selective and less aggressive therapies, with the goal of improving the quality of life of thousands of patients. “Our goal is for these nanoplatforms to become versatile tools for diagnosing and treating different types of cancer, bringing personalized medicine closer to clinical practice,” emphasizes Dr. Noureddine Khiar.
Reference
Carmen Castillejos, Alessio Zuliani, Livia Lopez Noriega, Valentine Comaills, Benoit R. Gauthier, Noureddine Khiar. Assessing small-sized D-fructose-functionalized micelles for active targeting of triple-negative breast cancer, Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jddst.2025.107281