Bochum: New copper active ingredient kills cancer cells a hundred times more effectively
A new copper-based drug complex uses the mechanism of cuproptosis for targeted cancer therapy. The approach of the research group led by Prof. Dr. Johannes Karges at Ruhr-Universität Bochum is up to 100 times more effective than established chemotherapeutic agents and protects healthy tissue. The complex is embedded in polymer nanoparticles that accumulate specifically in the tumor tissue and only release the active ingredient through light activation.
Cuproptosis was discovered in 2022 and describes cell death triggered by excess copper in the mitochondria. Cancer cells absorb more copper than healthy cells and have an altered metabolism. The new complex specifically triggers this form of cell death.
The nanoparticles accumulate in tumors due to the increased metabolism and prevent premature release of the active ingredient. A light pulse splits a photoresponsive bond in the polymer framework, whereupon the particles dissolve and the copper complex acts locally. The approach also proved effective in therapy-resistant cancer cells.
The study was published in the journal Advanced Functional Materials on March 25, 2026. Further research is required before clinical use.
The work was funded by the Chemical Industry Fund as part of a Liebig Fellowship, the Life Sciences Bridge Award of the Aventis Foundation and the Paul Ehrlich & Ludwig Darmstaedter Young Investigator Award 2024 of the Paul Ehrlich Foundation.
Editor: X-Press Journalistenbüro GbR
Gender Notice. The personal designations used in this text always refer equally to female, male and diverse persons. Double/triple naming and gendered designations are used for better readability. ected.
Most read
New MRI methods for the early detection of Parkinson’s disease: Campus Lübeck is looking for study participants Researchers at the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) and the Universities of Lübec...- Miraculous fitness probiotic: Roseburia inulinivorans massively improves muscle strength Researchers from the University of Granada, the University of Almería and the Leiden University Medi...
- The personal health check of the UMG laboratory: The detectives of blood The Personal Health Check of the UMG Laboratory (Interdisciplinary Laboratory of the University Medi...
