Andrea Kasinski, PhD

We are developing a new cancer treatment that could change how we fight the disease. Our drug, FM-FolamiR-34a, is designed to treat triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). TNBC is one of the most aggressive and hardest-to-treat types of cancer. Many cancer treatments attack a single target, but our drug works differently. It stops multiple targets at once, like a combination of drugs in a single treatment. It does this by replacing a natural tumor-fighting molecule that is missing in many TNBC cases.Earlier attempts to use this type of treatment failed because the drug broke down too quickly and did not reach tumors well. We have solved this problem by making the drug more stable and attaching it to a targeting molecule that guides it directly to cancer cells.In lab studies, this approach shrank tumors and, in some cases, made them disappear completely. To prepare for human trials, we will improve the drug, compare it to existing treatments, and complete important safety tests.This research could lead to a powerful new way to treat cancer, offering hope to patients who currently have few options. Our goal is to turn cutting-edge science into real treatments that save lives.