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Updated: Aug 2, 2026

Testing Targeted Therapies in Cancer using Structural DNA Alteration Analysis and Patient-Derived Xenografts
Published on: July 25, 2020
Developments with targeted enzymes in cancer therapy
K D Bagshawe1, S K Sharma, P J Burke
1Department of Medical Oncology, Imperial College of Medicine, Charing Cross campus London, W6 8RP, UK. k.bagshawe@cxwms.ac.uk
Abstract:
Cancer therapy based on the delivery of enzymes to tumour sites has advanced in several directions since antibody-directed enzyme/prodrug therapy was first described. It has been shown that methoxypolyethylene glycol (MPEG) can be used to deliver enzyme to a variety of solid tumours. MPEG-enzyme conjugates show reduced immunogenicity and may allow repeated treatment with enzymes of bacterial origin. Enzyme delivery to tumours by polymers can be used to convert a low toxicity prodrug to a potent cytotoxic agent. An example of such a prodrug is CB1954, which can be activated by a human enzyme in the presence of a cosubstrate. Tumour-located enzymes can also be used in conjunction with a combination of antimetabolites and rescue agents. The rescue agent protects normal tissue but is degraded at cancer sites by the enzyme, thus deprotecting the tumour and allowing prolonged antimetabolite action.
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