ONCOLOGY

Cancer and cardiovascular diseases are the leading causes of premature death and cancer is likely to surpass cardiovascular diseases in most countries in the near future. The plethora of cancer subtypes and disease aetiologies impedes the development of efficient therapies. Standard treatment options include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

However, they often induce severe adverse effects. Furthermore, therapy-resistant malignant cells can expand, leading to relapse. Thus, the need for new treatment options is very high. Recently, versatile approaches have been investigated in the drug discovery process to develop more personalized and specific treatments. These include for example immunotherapies, like monoclonal antibodies and small-molecule drugs.

Characterizing the molecular interactions between drugs and their targets is mandatory to develop and improve these new treatment options. Moreover, molecular interactions have been shown to play a key role in cancer biology. For example, the interplay between cancer cells and the tumour microenvironment can support tumour growth and immune evasion.

Furthermore, the metastatic process is highly dependent on molecular interactions, for example during the remodelling of the extracellular matrix and the colonization of distant sites. Elucidating these interactions can reveal new pharmaceutical targets.

The switchSENSE^® technology can be used to analyse molecular interactions in detail. It offers a flexible tool to enhance our understanding of tumour cells and cancer development as well as to optimize current treatment options and identify new therapeutic modalities.