New way to target brain tumours

Researchers, including EARA member the University of Zurich, have found a potential new treatment for aggressive brain tumours, using mice as a model.

Small proteins produced by immune cells, known as cytokines, were fused to antibodies, to form immunocytokines which seek out tumours in the brain.

The combination then slowed, or reversed the growth of the cells, or made the tumours disappear altogether.

The team, also including University Hospital Zurich, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology and biotechnology company Philochem, hope that these results can be used to support human trials in the future.