A team of researchers from National Neuroscience Institute (NNI), National University of Singapore (NUS) and Duke-NUS Medical School (Duke-NUS) are studying new drug targets for the treatment of glioblastoma (GBM).

The team received a grant under the Open Fund Large Collaborative Grant (MOH-000541), which is supported by the National Research Foundation Singapore and administered by the Singapore Ministry of Health’s (MoH) National Medical Research Council.

Glioblastoma is a brutal form of cancer because it spreads quickly in the brain and is difficult to treat. Common symptoms include severe headaches, seizures, personality changes and confusion (impaired cognition) which can be distressing for patients and their family members.

The team’s innovative use and development of technology has caught the attention of overseas researchers. Dr. Amy Heimberger, a Professor in the Department of Neurosurgery and the Scientific Director of the Lou and Jean Malnati Brain Tumor Institute at Northwestern University, is a leading researcher in glioblastoma and a key developer for the STAT3 inhibitor WP1066. She invited the Singapore team to join an international drug trial, termed GBM AGILE, to sub-type and stratify participants.

This will be in conjunction with Moleculin Biotech, a clinical stage pharmaceutical company. Being actively involved in the research will also make it easier for NNI’s clinicians to include suitable Singapore patients in the international trial, giving them access to potential new treatments.