Kookmin University researchers turn cancer's hunger against itself to treat drug-resistant tumors

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SEOUL, January 16 (AJP) - Researchers at Kookmin University have developed a drug delivery platform that bypasses the defenses of hard-to-treat colorectal cancer by exploiting the tumor's own aggressive metabolism.

Kookmin University announced on January 15 that the team, led by Professor Kim Ha-rin of the Department of Biopharmaceutical Science, successfully treated KRAS-mutant colorectal cancer in animal models using the new system. The findings were published in the January 2026 issue of the Journal of Controlled Release.

KRAS-mutant colorectal cancer is notorious for being difficult to treat. It responds poorly to targeted therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors because the tumors create an immunosuppressive environment that blocks immune cells from attacking.

To break through these defenses, Professor Kim's team engineered a delivery platform that effectively acts as a "Trojan horse." The system takes advantage of the fact that cancer cells consume nutrients much more aggressively than healthy cells. The drug is designed to be absorbed by the hungry tumor cells and accumulates selectively within the cancer tissue. Crucially, the drug remains dormant until the cancer cell begins to die, at which point it activates.

When combined with immunotherapy, this selective activation did more than just kill the cancer cells; it remodeled the tumor environment, allowing the immune system to recognize and destroy the tumor.

In tests using animal models, the treatment led to a significant increase in the rate of complete tumor disappearance. The researchers also observed a strong "immune memory" effect. When cancer cells were reintroduced to the cured subjects, the immune system immediately recognized and eliminated them, preventing recurrence.

This profile image shows Professor Kim Ha-rin of the Department of Biopharmaceutical Science at Kookmin University. Courtesy of Kookmin University

"This study proves that we can restore sensitivity to immunotherapy by precisely controlling the timing and location of drug activation within the tumor, rather than simply increasing the dosage," Professor Kim Ha-rin said. "We have presented a strategy to convert refractory cancers into a treatable state using clinically applicable drug combinations."

The team expects this design principle to be applicable to other solid tumors that have previously shown low response rates to immunotherapy.

Park Sae-jin Reporter swatchsjp@ajunews.com

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