UIC team redesigns leukemia treatment

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago have redesigned the enzyme asparaginase for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic pediatric leukemia. Their research was published Dec. 19 in Cancer Letters.

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The UIC team used protein engineering to design “a new biologic compound that tries to maximize the therapeutic effects of the enzyme while reducing toxicity and harmful responses in the patient,” according to a Jan. 28 news release from the university.

The compound destroyed leukemia cells in mice and shrank melanoma and liver cancer tumors in laboratory models, the release said. The group hopes to bring the compound to clinical trials.

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