Head and neck cancer is a poorly studied disease, with a high rate of relapse and mortality. The Biomedical Research in Cancer Stem Cells group at Vall d'Hebron Research Institute (VHIR) has identified a new therapeutic target involved in the acquisition of resistance to chemotherapy in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). Finding new therapies for this type of tumor is the main objective of this group.

In work carried out to date, the VHIR team has discovered a new therapeutic target against head and neck cancer. It is a cell membrane receptor that is a key factor in the acquisition of resistance to the usual treatment in HNSCC.

With the aim of obtaining new therapies for patients, especially for those who are resistant to conventional chemotherapy, virtual screening has been carried out using artificial intelligence tools and several compounds with antitumor activity have been identified and tested in cells in culture and in animal models*.

"When investigating new drugs against this target, we have found very promising results, but we have seen that these drugs do not spread well in the organism", assures Dr. Matilde E. LLeonart, head of the Biomedical Research in Cancer Stem Cells group at VHIR. "We are currently refining these compounds to improve their therapeutic efficacy", adds Dr. LLeonart. This process includes chemical modifications to ensure that the drugs are effective and safe for clinical application.

So far, results show that these drugs would help overcome treatment-associated resistance. "We hope that our research will open the door to a change in clinical practice, with new therapeutic options to increase the survival of patients with HNSCC and even with other types of resistant tumors", concludes Dr. LLeonart.

The project has recently received a grant from the Generalitat de Catalunya (Convocatoria LLavors, AGAUR) for its great potential for transferability to the clinic. To encourage the implementation of new treatments for this type of tumors, the team has recently set up a crowdfunding campaign.

*Institutional Declaration on the Use of Animals in Research