SCANnTREAT: photodynamic therapy triggered by spectral scanner CT: an efficient tool for cancer treatment

Key information / Informations

•    Funding programme / Programme de financement: H2020 – FETOPEN
•    Coordinator / Coordinateur: UNIVERSITE CLAUDE BERNARD LYON 1
•    Partners’ list / Liste des partenaires :

o    UNIVERSITE CLAUDE BERNARD LYON 1
o    INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA SANTE ET LA RECHERCHE MEDICALE
o    UNIVERSITEIT MAASTRICHT
o    PHILIPS MEDICAL SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGIES LTD
o    LYON INGENIERIE PROJETS

•    Budget :2 999 955€
•    Grant / Subvention : 2 999 955€
•    Début – Fin : 01/09/2020-29/02/2024

Context / Contexte

According to Eurostat, cancer accounts for the second cause of death in Europe. Numerous treatment strategies exist: surgery, chemotherapy or radiation therapy, but outcomes are not always successful. Furthermore, even if in some cases five-year survival post treatment can be encouraging, the conditions of life of the patients are deteriorated due to side effects of the therapies.

Objectives / Objectifs

We are aiming at a breakthrough technology that will contribute to increase drastically patients five years survival and have significant positive impact on their quality of life. Such ambition will be reached thanks to a new future technology that will ensure the efficient treatment of cancer with low side-effects (even if radioresistant), allow to perform accurate diagnostic and give access to in situ monitoring of the treatment. The other pioneering aspect of this technology is the fact that everything will take place at the same time, with the same machine which will be much less stressful and disturbing for patients compared to other treatment. SCANnTREAT is based on the association of cutting-edge technologies: spectral photon counting scanner CT (SPCCT) which is a innovative imaging modality and a new X-ray based treatment known as X-rays activated Photodynamic Therapy (X-PDT). The perfect match between these two technologies will be ensured with specifically designed probes acting both as contrast media and therapeutic agents.

Expected impact and results / Impact et résultats attendus

SCANnTREAT will pave the way towards the first demonstration of efficient treatment under a scanner and the possibility to launch the first equipment/nanoprobe dual combination towards cancer treatment.

LIP’s contribution / Rôle de LIP :

Lyon Ingénierie Projets will mainly ensure efficient project management, assist the coordinator with the monitoring of the different work packages, and overall financial and administrative management. LIP will be the contact point and a support for the coordinator and all partners as regards project administration and financial rules, as well as IPR rules. LIP will also contribute to the dissemination and exploitation of the knowledge generated during the project.