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Turkish Healthcare Startup RS Research Uses Nanotech To Selectively Destroy Tumors
The startup designed a nanotechnology platform for highly targeted delivery of drugs directly to cancer cells.
All currently available types of treatment for cancer leave a lot to be desired — both in terms of their effectiveness and side effects. Chemotherapy, for example, is effective at preventing cancer from spreading to other parts of the body and even capable of eliminating it entirely, but it can’t tell the difference between cancer cells and healthy cells. Turkish healthcare startup RS Research strongly believes that it has the recipe for significantly increasing the effectiveness of drug-based cancer treatments like chemotherapy.
The startup designed a nanotechnology platform for highly targeted delivery of drugs directly to cancer cells. The platform is called Sagitta, and the name comes from the Latin word for “arrow.”
“Sagitta platform is a groundbreaking technology approach utilizing Polymer Drug Conjugates to target the tumor with a high payload of cytotoxins; resulting in high efficacy with reduced side-effect profile. In addition to moving our own candidates through clinical development, Sagitta platform is available for co-development projects,” explains RS Research on its website.
In other words, Sagitta allows drugs to do their job with minimal side effects, making it possible to avoid causing damage to healthy cells. If everything goes right, the technology could be used to support cancer treatment in Turkey and beyond as early as 2024.
Also Read: FDA Approves Israeli Cancer-Freezing Technology
Together with other innovative cancer treatments, such as gene therapy, hormone replacement therapy, and immunotherapy, scientists and doctors are gradually expanding the range of treatment options available to cancer patients, and we can only hope that a real cure isn’t too far away.
Not too long ago, the FDA approved an Israeli medical technology after demonstrating its ability to eliminate tumors using new cancer-freezing technology.
The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly accelerated many areas of medical research, and it would be a welcome turn of events if some coronavirus-related findings helped finally defeat cancer.
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UAE Prepares To Launch Two Satellites: Thuraya-2 And MBZ-SAT
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council yesterday.
HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Deputy Prime Minister of the UAE, chaired the first meeting of the Supreme Space Council in Dubai on December 16, 2024. The session highlighted the UAE’s ambitious space plans and took stock of the sector’s economic progress.
The council emphasized the growing role of private companies in advancing space technologies, noting that their contributions are now equal to that of the public sector. Members also praised initiatives like the Space Economic Zones Programme, which are designed to fuel innovation and investment in the space industry.
خلال ترؤسنا الاجتماع الأول للمجلس الأعلى للفضاء، بحثنا الاستثمارات الوطنية والمشاريع المقبلة في قطاع الفضاء والذي يشهد تطوراً مستمراً… وجددنا التزامنا بدعم ومواصلة تنفيذ برامج طموحة لاستكشاف الفضاء الخارجي حيث وصل حجم الاستثمارات في هذا القطاع إلى 40 مليار درهم خلال السنوات… pic.twitter.com/etJ33OnuSu
— Hamdan bin Mohammed (@HamdanMohammed) December 16, 2024
Discussing the UAE’s space journey, HH Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum remarked, “The national space sector continues to grow and advance, and we take immense pride in the remarkable achievements we have accomplished over the years”.
Sheikh Hamdan also received updates on two upcoming satellite projects: Thuraya-2 and MBZ-SAT. Thuraya-2, developed by Space42, is slated for launch this December. Meanwhile, the MBZ-SAT, created by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC), will soon follow. MBRSC, a major driver of the UAE National Space Programme, continues to lead the nation’s space-related developments.
Space42 took the opportunity to showcase its advancements, including ongoing collaborations between public and private entities. The company also outlined strategies to promote innovation, boost revenue streams, and create new opportunities for growth in the sector.
Also Read: IBM Opens New Doha Office To Support Qatar’s Digital Growth
The UAE’s current projects build on a growing legacy of space exploration. Back in 2020, the nation made headlines with its Mars mission, successfully sending a probe into the planet’s orbit in 2021. This mission, which is now in its second phase as of June 2024, has been collecting critical data to develop a comprehensive diurnal image of Mars.
The UAE also ventured into lunar exploration with an unmanned mission aimed at studying untouched regions of the Moon’s surface. While the probe ultimately crashed during its landing attempt after communication was lost seconds before touchdown, the effort represented a significant step in the country’s exploration ambitions.