Coimbra, Portugal, Oct. 8, 2024 (Lusa) - The University of Coimbra is part of a European consortium that is to receive €16 million in funding to develop, test and distribute innovative technology to improve cancer treatment across the European Union.
"The project aims to create a European network of research centres, hospitals and companies to promote patient access to advanced cancer treatment techniques - especially for the most aggressive cancers, such as triple-negative breast cancer, pancreatic cancer or glioblastoma," revealed the institution in a news release sent to the Lusa news agency on Tuesday.
Financed by €8 million from the European Commission's Innovative Health Initiative - and another €8 million from by "various industry partners" - the project is to run for five years, bringing together institutions and companies from nine countries.
The Accelerate.EU consortium is led by Belgium-based multinational IBA Radiopharma Solutions and the Jules Bordet Institute of the University Hospital of Brussels, and has the collaboration of the Coimbra Institute of Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health (ICNAS).
"More specifically, a form of alpha therapy will be developed - based on Astat-211 (211At), a very promising radioisotope in the field of nuclear medicine - an innovative therapeutic strategy that makes it possible to "attack" cancer cells directly, in order to relieve symptoms and halt the progression of the disease."
To develop this therapy, particle accelerators - cyclotrons - are used, state-of-the-art equipment that enables the production of radiopharmaceuticals for use, in particular, in oncology.
"This ambitious and innovative project combines academic knowledge with industrial innovation to create new therapeutic agents that can meet clinical needs throughout Europe with regard to oncological therapies, thus improving the lives of people with cancer," said the director of ICNAS, Antero Abrunhosa, quoted in the statement.
"In addition to all the research and trials that will be carried out as part of Accelerate.EU, the aim is also to create a 211At production network for hospital units in view of its highly promising treatment potential," he added.
Accelerate.EU also aims to ensure the continuous training and education of professionals, thus guaranteeing the knowledge and implementation of this innovative solution, as well as the dissemination of knowledge in the field of nuclear medicine.
FYBP/ARO // ARO.
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