A Better Delivery System for Chemotherapy Drugs Wednesday, May
30, 2012 TAU researcher develops new antibodies to target and
destroy cancer cells Because cancer cells grow very quickly,
chemotherapy is designed to target cells whose numbers grow
rapidly. But this treatment comes with a heavy price — many
healthy cells essential for body functions are also targeted and
killed by the toxin. This dangerous side-effect has prompted
researchers to seek better and more selective ways to kill
cancer cells inside the body. Prof. Daniel Wreschner of Tel Aviv
University's Department of Cell Research and Immunology is now
developing new antibodies — proteins produced by the immune
system to fight infection — that bind to and kill off cancer
cells exclusively. These antibodies, which target the cancer
cells by binding to a protein called MUC1, can be used as an
efficient drug delivery method, depositing a parcel of toxins
directly into the belly of the diseased cells. Prof. Wreschner's
goal is to improve current methods