A bacterial strain of a harmless soil-dwelling bacteria that specifically targets tumours could soon be used as a vehicle to deliver drugs in frontline cancer therapy. The strain is expected to be tested in cancer patients in two years time.

Led by Nigel Minton, Professor of Applied Molecular Microbiology in the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at The University of Nottingham, the research is being presented at the Society for General Microbiology's Autumn Conference at the University of York.

Professor Minton, from the School of Molecular Medical Sciences, Centre for Biomolecular Sciences, said: "Clostridia are an ancient group of bacteria that evolved on the planet before it had an oxygen-rich atmosphere and so they thrive in low oxygen conditions. When Clostridia spores are injected into a cancer patient, they will only grow in oxygen-depleted environments, i.e. the centre of solid tumours. This is a totally natural phenomenon, which requires no fundamental alterations and is exquisitely specific. We can exploit this specificity to kill tumour cells but leave healthy tissue unscathed."

Source: The University of Nottingham