Breakthrough Nanobody Tech Hits Lung Cancer Cells Like a Drone Strike
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
A nanobody-based technology can precisely identify and attack lung cancer cells—sparing surrounding healthy tissue.
This is the promise of researchers at the Bio-Nano Research Center at the Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), who say that the approach could improve cancer therapy by reducing harmful side effects and maximizing efficiency.
The study showed treatment potential for lung adenocarcinoma—a type of non-small cell lung cancer—in particular. This is the most common type of lung cancer seen in the U.S., accounting for 45 percent of all cases in 2021, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Lung adenocarcinoma often has late detection and high recurrence rates after treatment.
Mature man in pain coughing on sofa at home.
Mature man in pain coughing on sofa at home.
brizmaker/Getty Images
Current chemotherapies can attack healthy cells, fail to deliver drugs precisely to cancer cells and lead to side effects. With this in mind, the team developed the 'A5 nanobody'—a tiny antibody that binds to a protein called CD155 found in high abundance on lung cancer cells.
The A5 nanobody is around 10 times smaller than conventional antibodies, helping it to penetrate deep into tissues. Crucially, it can bind selectively to cancer cells, leading to a reduction of more than 50 percent in components of cancer spread.
The researchers also engineered a drug delivery system called A5-LNP-DOX, which combines the A5 nanobody with liposomal capsules containing the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX).
This design acts like a "drone strike," delivering the drug precisely to CD155 targets on the surface of cancer cells, according to the researchers.
Pink visual of lung cancer adenocarcinoma cells.
Pink visual of lung cancer adenocarcinoma cells.
rightdx/Getty Images
In the study, A5-LNP-DOX delivered up to three times more drug into cancer cells than conventional methods, significantly enhancing cancer cell death while leaving healthy cells largely unharmed, the researchers found.
Tests in animal models and patient-derived organoids showed tumor size reductions of 70–90 percent and substantial increases in cancer cell death markers. Meanwhile, no damage was detected in major organs including the liver, heart or kidneys.
"Our study presents a new therapeutic strategy capable of precisely targeting cancer cells and delivering drugs effectively," said study author Juyeon Jung in a statement.
"We expect this nanobody-based approach to serve as a versatile platform for treating not only lung cancer but also a variety of other cancers, contributing greatly to the advancement of precision medicine."
Newsweek has reached out to the researchers for comment.
Do you have a tip on a health story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about lung cancer? Let us know via health@newsweek.com.
Reference
Noh, K., Yi, S., Kim, H., Lee, J., Kim, S., Yoo, W., Jung, E., Choi, J., Park, H., Hwang, S., Kang, J. Y., Park, K.-H., Park, H., Lee, Y., Lim, E.-K., Kang, T., & Jung, J. (2025). Targeting CD155 in lung adenocarcinoma: A5 nanobody-based therapeutics for precision treatment and enhanced drug delivery. Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, 10(1), 218. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41392-025-02301-z
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