A recent achievement in the field of protein research allows for better tailored pharmaceuticals with fewer side effects; the method was developed by two University of Copenhagen researchers.

Protein research is one of the hottest areas in medical research because proteins make it possible to develop far more effective pharmaceuticals for the treatment of diabetes, cancer and other illnesses.

However, while proteins have great potential, they also present great challenges for scientists. Proteins have incredibly complex chemical structures that make them difficult to modify. As a result, researchers have been looking for a tool to modify them more precisely, without increasing a drug's side-effects.

"We often run the risk of not being approved by health authorities because protein-based drugs lack precision and may have side-effects. Among other things, this is because of the serious limitations with the tools that have been used up until now," according to Professor Knud J. Jensen of the University of Copenhagen's Department of Chemistry.
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Together with his research colleague, Sanne Schoffelen, he has developed a new protein-modifying method that promises fewer side-effects and could be pivotal in furthering the development of protein-based pharmaceuticals. Their work has been published in the distinguished journal, Nature Communications.

The world’s first clinical trial (SURGUVANT) evaluating anti-inflammatory use at the time of surgery in colon cancer patients to improve their cancer outcome has been published in the scientific journal, BMC Cancer.

The research successfully tested an anti-inflammatory agent with anti-cancer properties known as ‘Taurolidine’ in the SURGUVANT trial which was funded by a grant from Geistlich Pharma AG, Wolhusen, Switzerland.  The research was undertaken by researchers at RCSI in Dublin in collaboration with the Cork University Hospital group, University College Cork, Mercy University Hospital and the Bon Secours Hospital, Cork led by Professor Paul Redmond, RCSI Council member and Chair of Surgery at Cork University Hospital and Mr Peter O’Leary, CUH Department of Surgery. 

The Surguvant trial examined a link between surgical inflammation and the recurrence of cancer. The trial randomised patients undergoing surgery for colon cancer to either a placebo or 2% Taurolidine solution. The trial reported that important components of the inflammatory response to surgery that have been shown to propagate tumour cell growth, can be attenuated successfully without compromising patient safety. 
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“We are delighted that this important clinical trial could be performed in Ireland. The Surguvant trial is the first of its kind to be performed worldwide showing that it is safe to use Taurolidine in this critical period of time for cancer patients where they are exposed to an inflammatory response necessary for wound healing but which can be potentially detrimental to their cancer outcome,” said Professor Redmond. “Now that we have proven the safety of this treatment strategy, it remains to be demonstrated if targeting the inflammatory response to surgery will lead to improved outcomes for cancer patients. We hope to do this in much larger future trials.” 

Redmond et al. RandomiSed clinical trial assessing Use of an anti-inflammatoRy aGent in attenUating peri-operatiVe inflAmmatioN in non-meTastatic colon cancer – the S.U.R.G.U.V.A.N.T. trial. BMC Cancer2018;18:794 https://doi.org/10.1186/s12885-018-4641-x [Article]