The Molecular Engineering Group at RMIT University, which is co-led by Iranian-Australian Dr Mirzadeh, is currently trialling a cancer treatment where engineered gold-based molecules target cancer cells while leaving behind fewer toxic side effects.
The synthetic molecules, unlike current chemotherapies, are built with resistance-fighting features to keep them effective over time.
Pre-clinical studies have shown the molecules were up to 24 times more effective at killing cancer cells than the widely used anti-cancer drug Cisplatin.
“Side effects are some of the drawbacks in regard to the other available cancer drugs. The existing drugs have unpleasant side effects like hair loss, loss of appetite, kidney failures and nausea. These side effects cause emotional burdens for the patients, too,” Dr Mirzadeh told SBS Persian.
“Our engineered gold-based molecules don’t have the said side effects. They will target the cancer cells. They can target bad cells and will leave the good cells unharmed."
Pre-clinical tests also found the molecules to be highly toxic against breast, prostate, colon, cervical, melanoma and cancer cells, while animal trials showed the molecules inhibited tumour growth up to 46.9 per cent compared with Cisplatin, which tested only 29 per cent.
Prof Suresh Bhargava and Dr Nida Mirzadeh Source: Supplied
Dr Mirzadeh said a problem with the existing cancer drugs was that they would attack the DNA of both good and bad cells.
“All of the cells have DNA. Both good and bad cells. That’s why we encounter side effects. Because Cisplatin cannot distinguish between good and bad cell. The drug will attach the DNA directly,” she said.
“Our engineered gold-based molecules will engage with the cells with a different mechanism. In other words, the gold-based molecules we’ve designed are far more selective and stable.
"They will not attack the DNA. They will attack an enzyme that is normally overexpressed in the cancer cells. The said gold-based molecules will attack the said enzyme. Since the gold-based molecules are tending to interact with the said enzyme they will target the cancer cells instead of the healthy cells.”
Why gold?
Gold is an elemental metal that has been used in the treatment of some types of arthritis by relieving joint pain and reducing swelling and bone damage.
CAMIC Director Professor Suresh Bhargava said it was the histocial use of gold in treatment, particularly in India and China, as well as its receptiveness to the human body, which led to it being trialled.
“We know that gold is readily accepted by the human body and we know it has been used for thousands of years in treating various conditions,” Prof Bhargava said.
“Essentially, gold has been market-tested, but not scientifically validated.
“Our work is helping both provide the evidence base that’s missing, as well as delivering new families of molecules that are tailor-made to amplify the natural healing properties of gold.”
When will the drug be available?
Dr Mirzadeh said the research is currently at the Vivo stage, where the substance is tested on live creatures, beginning with small animals and gradually on larger animals and finally on humans.
The process from lab to treatment could take up to 10 to 15 years.
“We have also done the In Vivo process on mouses. The test results have been successful. We have to do further tests on animals before we start the tests on human,” she said.
“This is the first time in the world that we are using this engineered gold-based molecule to treat cancer. In the past, some researchers have used Nanotechnology to cure some cancers. But what we are trying to do is to create molecules to treat cancer. At the moment there are not any molecule-based drugs that are used for the cancer treatment in the market.”
The Molecular Engineering Group brings together synthetic chemists with pharmacologists and has over two decades of expertise in designing gold molecules for practical applications.
The pioneering group has had two patents awarded for their work to date.
