SBT-1214 / DHA Conjugate drug activity against Cancer Stem Cell

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) represent the most dangerous cell populations

within the tumor, which are responsible for tumor initiation, recurrence, metastasis and resistance to therapies. These features make them very valuable and promising target for anticancer drug development. We have studied in vivo and in vitro activities of the nanoemulsion of a new-generation taxoid, SBT-1214, conjugated with fatty acid, DHA, (formulation was called NE-DHA-SBT), against prostate CSC-enriched cell line, PPT2. This formulation has shown not only dramatic reduction of tumor volume of NOD/SCID mice xenografts induced by and containing an increased ratio of CSCs, but even more importantly, significant suppression of the stemness features. Thus, analysis of the post-treatment residual tumors has shown that these tumor cells have lost their ability to form floating 3D spheroids and adherent holoclones (both are standard criteria of stemness).