Summary

Empa and the hospital network "HOCH Health Ostschweiz" are developing novel nanozymes for treating astrocytomas, an aggressive form of brain tumor with a five percent five-year survival rate. The four-year project is financed by several foundations and is led by neurosurgeon Isabel Hostettler. The nanomaterials are to be introduced directly into brain tissue during surgery, where they specifically attack cancer cells. The team hopes to make the nanomedicine clinically ready by the end of the project as a minimally invasive complement to existing therapies.

People

Topics

  • Brain tumor treatment
  • Nanomaterials and nanomedicines
  • Minimally invasive therapeutic procedures
  • Empa oncology initiative

Clarus Lead

The blood-brain barrier renders traditional chemotherapies ineffective against brain tumors – a central problem in modern oncology. Empa's approach bypasses this biological barrier through local application directly in the surgical field, opening new perspectives for therapy-resistant cases. The combination of nanomaterials and light activation also promises significantly reduced side effects, which is crucial in brain surgery. The project positions itself as a pilot for a broader materials science strategy against cancer.

Detailed Summary

Astrocytomas are among the most common and invasive malignant brain tumors: the cells grow aggressively into healthy surrounding tissue, making complete surgical removal difficult. In seven out of ten cases, the disease recurs after treatment. Current standard treatment combines surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, but the blood-brain barrier blocks many active substances and significantly reduces therapeutic effectiveness.

The team around Giacomo Reina in the "Nanomaterials in Health" laboratory is developing biocompatible nanozymes that function as nanomedicines. These are introduced directly into brain tissue during tumor surgery. Since cancer cells have an overactive metabolism, the active substances accumulate specifically in tumor tissue. The nanozymes work through multiple mechanisms: they can activate inactive drug precursors or generate reactive oxygen species that damage tumor cells. Their extreme smallness allows them to penetrate deep into tissue and reach distant cancer cells millimeters away. Particularly innovative is the control through near-infrared light, which enables precise dosing and minimal side effects.

Funding comes from the Hedy Glor-Meyer Foundation, the Swiss Cancer Foundation, and four additional foundations. By the end of the four-year project, the nanomedicine should be clinically test-ready as a minimally invasive complement to existing therapies. Reina expresses hope that nanozymes could even prevent recurrence when tumors are already resistant to standard chemotherapy. The potential also extends to other brain and spinal cord tumor diseases. Nanozyme development is part of Empa's broader Oncology Initiative (2025–2035), which bundles five laboratories and combines material-based approaches with genetic and metabolic patient profiles.

Key Statements

  • Nanozymes bypass the blood-brain barrier through local intraoperative application rather than systemic administration
  • Light activation enables precise dosing and minimal side effects while maximizing tumor effect
  • Project aims for clinical test readiness in four years; potential also for therapy-resistant and recurrent cases

Critical Questions

  1. Evidence/Source Validity: What preclinical data (in vitro, animal models) support the assumption that nanozymes will show the same selectivity for tumor cells in human brain tissue as in the laboratory?

  2. Conflicts of Interest/Independence: Which foundations finance the project, and are there connections between the funders and the participating research institutions or pharmaceutical companies?

  3. Causality/Alternatives: Why has intraoperative local application not previously been compared with other nanoparticle systems (liposomes, gold nanoparticles), and what alternatives to light activation were considered?

  4. Feasibility/Risks: How is it ensured that nanozymes are completely eliminated from brain tissue after surgery, and what long-term effects have been investigated so far?

  5. Dosing/Scalability: How reproducible is the intraoperative placement of nanozymes in heterogeneous tumor tissue, and can the procedure be standardized for clinical application?

  6. Regulatory Hurdles: What approval steps are required to advance from preclinical tests to Phase I studies, and what timeframe is realistic?

Bibliography

Primary Source: Nanozymes against Brain Tumors – Empa Press Release – https://www.empa.ch/web/s604/nanozyme-gegen-gehirntumore

Supplementary Sources:

  1. Empa Oncology Initiative – https://www.empa.ch/web/oncology
  2. Nanomaterials in Health Lab – https://www.empa.ch/web/s403

Verification Status: ✓ 29.04.2026

This text was created with the support of an AI model. Editorial responsibility: clarus.news | Fact-checking: 29.04.2026