| What’s wrong with current treatments for HNSCC? HNSCC spreads via the cervical lymphatics. Surgery and radiation cause tremendous damage, and can fail to remove all the lymph cancer. Standard intravenous chemotherapy such as cisplatin +/- docetaxol cannot pentrate the lymph nodes – up to 70% of patients relapse. At the University of Kansas, Drs. Forrest and Cohen realized that giving chemotherapy directly to the lymphatics could destroy cervical node disease. Along with a third KU faculty member, Dr. Aires, they lead HylaPharm. |
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| How do we improve treatment of HNSCC? Hyaluronan is a natural polymer found in the lymph. HylaPharm conjugates the anticancer drug cisplatin to hyaluronan to create HylaPlat™ nanoparticles.An injection of HylaPlat™ near the tumor spreads throughout the cervical lymphatics and releases anti-cancer drugs where hidden metastatic disease resides. Tumor cells have a receptor for hyaluronan called CD44 – this causes them to take up more of the HylaPlat™ than healthy cells. |
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| What are the benefits of HylaPlat™? Increased Safety HylaPlat™ confines chemotherapy to the lymphatics and tumors. This means the kidneys, nerves, and auditory organs are not exposed to high levels of toxic drugs. Slow release means longer therapeutic levels & fewer side effects. |
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| More drug reaches tumors – better survival An injection of HylaPlat™ near the tumor abscess will spread throughout the cervical lymphatics and release anti-cancer drugs where hidden metastatic disease resides. |
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| One technology – many treatments The HylaPlat™ technology can treat any cancer that metastasizes through the lymph (and 85% of cancers do) – breast, colon, lung, ovarian…The technology can be used with other life-saving cancer drugs like docetaxol or doxorubicin (HylaDox™) – making them better, safer and easier. |
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