Korean Researchers Pioneer Nasal Delivery of Immune Cells to Combat Glioblastoma
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A groundbreaking new approach to treating glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain cancer, is underway in South Korea, utilizing nasal administration to deliver targeted immune cell therapy directly to tumors.
Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital of the Catholic University of Korea announced on Thursday, February 1st, that a research team led by neurosurgery professor Ansdevan will initiate a three-year study funded with 300 million won (approximately $230,000 USD) from the Ministry of Science and ICT. The project was selected as part of the ministry’s ‘Emerging Research – Pioneering Research’ initiative.
The Challenge of Glioblastoma Treatment
Glioblastoma presents a formidable challenge to medical science. Approximately 600 to 800 new cases are diagnosed annually in Korea, and despite aggressive treatment involving surgery and chemotherapy, the average survival time remains under two years. The five-year survival rate is a sobering 10%. Current standard treatment, the drug Temozolomide, offers only a modest extension of survival – roughly two months.
While immunotherapy has demonstrated success in treating various cancers, traditional methods involving immune checkpoint inhibitors have proven ineffective against glioblastoma. This has spurred research into alternative strategies, notably adoptive immune cell therapy, which strengthens and injects a patient’s own immune cells to fight the disease. A 2025 study conducted by the Pennsylvania Medical Center showed promising results, with dual-target CAR-T cell therapy reducing tumor size in 62% of patients with recurrent glioblastoma.
Bypassing the Blood-Brain Barrier with Nasal Administration
A significant obstacle to effective immune cell therapy for brain tumors is the blood-brain barrier, which severely limits the delivery of therapeutics to the brain and can cause systemic side effects. To overcome this hurdle, Professor Ansdevan’s team proposes a novel nasal administration method.
“We want to open new possibilities for glioblastoma treatment through nasal administration-based immune cell therapy that has a low patient burden and can be administered repeatedly,” Professor Ansdevan stated. “We want to present a practical treatment alternative in the future.”
This approach offers several key advantages: it is non-invasive, allows for repeated doses, and minimizes systemic side effects by bypassing the blood-brain barrier. Prior research conducted by the team has already demonstrated the effective delivery of CAR-T cells to brain tumors following nasal administration, resulting in a significant anti-tumor effect.
Future Research and Optimizing Delivery
The current research will focus on mapping the precise delivery route of immune cells administered nasally and maximizing delivery efficiency through advanced cell engineering technology. The team aims to refine the process to ensure optimal therapeutic impact.
This pioneering work represents a significant step forward in the fight against glioblastoma, offering hope for a more effective and less burdensome treatment option for patients facing this devastating diagnosis.
