McMaster Scientists Create Drug That Eliminates Brain Tumors

Scientists at McMaster University have created a powerful new weapon against glioblastoma, the most aggressive brain cancer in adults, which typically leaves patients with less than 15 months to live.

The experimental drug, called a uPAR Chimeric CAR T cell, works by reprogramming a patient's own immune system to hunt down and destroy cancer cells. In early lab studies published in Science Translational Medicine, the therapy completely eliminated tumors that normally resist every standard treatment available.

"New therapies for glioblastoma are urgently needed," says Dr. Sheila Singh, who led the research at McMaster's Department of Surgery. "The standard of care has remained largely unchanged for over two decades, and the disease remains uniformly fatal because of it."

What makes this therapy special is its double punch approach. It targets a specific protein called uPAR found on the surface of cancer cells. But it also attacks nearby support cells that feed the tumor, dismantling the biological infrastructure that allows glioblastoma to keep coming back after surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.

The research team developed the therapy using antibodies created with scientists at Canada's National Research Council in Ottawa. Singh has already patented the treatment and says discussions about moving toward human clinical trials are underway.

The timing couldn't be better. Scientists at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Columbia University have recently identified the same uPAR protein as a promising target for lung and pancreatic cancers. These discoveries are sparking new collaborations that could lead to treatments for multiple hard-to-treat cancers.

Why This Inspires

For postdoctoral fellow William Maich, who authored the study, the possibility of turning years of lab work into real hope for patients drives him forward. Through McMaster's bequeathal program, he's met patients and their families facing this devastating diagnosis.

"It would be a dream come true for me to have some of my work help glioblastoma patients," Maich says. "Being able to finally present them with an alternative to the current standard of care would be a great honour."

After two decades of watching the same treatments fail, families fighting glioblastoma may finally have reason for hope.