Santo D, Cordeiro RA, Sousa A, Serra A, Coelho JFJ, Faneca H. Combination of Poly[(2-dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate] and Poly(β-amino ester) Results in a Strong and Synergistic Transfection Activity. Biomacromolecules 2017;18:3331-3342.

Cordeiro RA, Santo D, Farinha D, Serra AC, Faneca H*, Coelho JF*. High transfection efficiency promoted by tailor-made cationic tri-block copolymer-based nanoparticles. Acta Biomater. 2017;47:113-123. *Corresponding authors

Passadouro M, Faneca H. Managing Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma: A Special Focus in microRNA Gene Therapy. Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2016;17:718. doi:10.3390/ijms17050718.

Lebre F, Borchard G, Faneca H, Pedroso de Lima MC, Borges O. Intranasal Administration of Novel Chitosan Nanoparticle/DNA Complexes Induces Antibody Response to Hepatitis B Surface Antigen in Mice. Mol. Pharmarceut. 2016;13:472-482.

Deus CM, Santos GL, Loureiro R, Vega-Naredo I, Faneca H, Oliveira PJ. Shutting Down the Furnace: Preferential Killing of Cancer Cells with Mitochondrial-targeting Molecules. Curr. Med. Chem. 2015;22:2438-2457.

Cordeiro RA, Farinha D, Rocha N, Serra AC, Faneca H*, Coelho JF*. Novel Cationic Triblock Copolymer of Poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate]-block-poly(β-amino ester)-block-poly[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl methacrylate]: A Promising Non-Viral Gene Delivery System. Macromol. Biosci. 2015;15:215-228. *Corresponding authors
This paper was Front Cover of Macromol. Biosci. 2/2015.    

Magalhães M, Farinha D, Pedroso de Lima MC, Faneca H. Increased gene delivery efficiency and specificity of a lipid-based nanosystem by incorporating a glycolipid. Int. J. Nanomedicine 2014;9:4979-4989.

Gonçalves FA, Costa CS, Fabela IG, Farinha D, Faneca H, Simões PN, Serra AC, Bártolo PJ, Coelho JF. 3D printing of new biobased unsaturated polyesters by microstereo-thermal-lithography. Biofabrication 2014;6:035024.

Farinha D, Pedroso de Lima MC, Faneca H. Specific and efficient gene delivery mediated by an asialofetuin-associated nanosystem. Int. J. Pharmaceut. 2014;473:366-374.

Passadouro M, Pedroso de Lima MC, Faneca H. MicroRNA modulation combined with sunitinib as a novel therapeutic strategy for pancreatic cancer. Int. J. Nanomedicine 2014;9:3203-3217.

Cancer remains a major health problem, being a leading cause of death worldwide. In the case of liver cancer, in particular the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), it is the second largest cause of cancer mortality worldwide and its incidence is still increasing. The high mortality associated to these patients, clearly demonstrates that, despite the ongoing efforts, current treatment options are largely insufficient, being associated to multiple limitations, including reduced therapeutic efficacy and high side effects. These facts highlight the urgent need for the development of novel therapeutic interventions, such as those involving the combination of gene therapy and chemotherapy.

Nanotechnology-based systems could greatly contribute to the success of these combined antitumor strategies, since nanosystems, namely targeted-nanosystems, have the capacity to specifically and efficiently deliver the therapeutic molecules into target cells, consequently increasing the therapeutic efficacy and reducing side effects.

The main goal of our group is to generate novel delivery nanosystems that have the ability to mediate new combined multi-target antitumor strategies, such as the combination of gene therapy and chemotherapy, in order to obtain a higher therapeutic efficacy and lower side effects than that achieved with current treatment options.

In this regard our principal objectives are:

- To develop and characterize novel lipid- and polymer-based nanosystems, aiming to obtain stable, suitable, specific and efficient platforms to mediate innovative therapeutic strategies for applications in HCC.

- To generate multi-target antitumor approaches involving the combination of different therapeutic molecules, such as genetic material and drugs, acting in several signaling pathways that have been strongly associated to HCC pathogenesis.

- To demonstrate that the generated nanosystems and the innovative antitumor strategies could result in a higher therapeutic activity and less side effects than conventional therapeutic strategies, not only in HCC but also in other cancer diseases.

Collaborations (out of the CNC):

Arménio Serra (CEMMPRE, and Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Coimbra)

Christopher Heeschen (Barts Cancer Institute, and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, UK)

Helena Gil (CIEPQPF, and Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Coimbra)

Isabel Soares (Chemistry Department, University of Coimbra)

Jorge Coelho (CEMMPRE, and Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Coimbra)

Luísa Durães (CIEPQPF, and Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Coimbra)

Michael T. Migawa (Medicinal Chemistry Department, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., CA, USA)

Paula Gomes (REQUIMTE, and Chemistry and Biochemistry Department, University of Porto)

Teresa Pinho e Melo (Chemistry Department, University of Coimbra)

Grants:

- “Development of an innovative targeted-nanoparticle formulation for combined gene therapy and chemotherapy application in hepatocellular carcinoma”. IF/01007/2015 (FCT Investigator Program)

- “A novel polymeric micelle formulation to mediate combined immunogene therapy and chemotherapy for hepatocellular carcinoma”. (SFRH/BD/132601/2017)

- “A novel hybrid nanoparticle formulation for combined gene therapy and chemotherapy application in hepatocellular carcinoma”. (SFRH/BD/104894/2014)

Funding:



Designação do projeto:  NL Antitumor .: Co-encapsulação em transportadores lipídicos nanoestruturados como uma plataforma multifuncional para o tratamento de tumores cerebrais

Código do projeto: POCI-01-0145-FEDER-016648

Região de intervenção: Centro - Coimbra Entidade Beneficiária:  CNC - Centro de Neurociências e Biologia Celular

Custo total elegível: 166 392,00 €

Apoio financeiro da União Europeia: FEDER – 141 433,20 €

Apoio financeiro público nacional/regional: FCT – 24 958,80 €

Objetivo Principal:
Neste trabalho é proposta uma abordagem inovadora para o tratamento do glioblastoma que consiste na dupla vetorização, baseada na modulação da superfície e coencapsulação em transportadores lipídicos nanoestruturados, através da combinação de estudos in vitro/in vivo/in silico.

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