Bioelectronic Neuromodulation for Selective Tumor Microenvironment Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current anticancer therapies lack efficacy and selectivity, often causing systemic side effects and failing to distinguish between cancer cells and healthy cells.

Innovation Solution

The method involves exploiting bidirectional tumor-nerve communication using bioelectronic neuromodulation to influence the tumor microenvironment, thereby inducing anticancer activity in epithelial cancer cells by implanting a Neural Interface on target nerves and performing a neuromodulation protocol.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If chemotherapeutics are delivered systemically at high doses to reduce primary tumor size and metastases, then tumor growth is inhibited, but detrimental effects on patients' organs occur including myelodepression, cardiac and hepatic toxicity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetumor growth inhibitionVSAvoidorgan toxicity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the treatment approach by targeting specific neural pathways (sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves) that innervate the tumor microenvironment, rather than systemic chemotherapy. This localized neural modulation selectively affects tumor-associated processes while sparing healthy organs from toxic exposure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces neural interfaces and neuromodulation as an intermediary mechanism to control tumor growth. By modulating neural activity that releases neurotransmitters affecting the tumor microenvironment, the treatment achieves anticancer effects without direct toxic exposure to organs, using the nervous system as a mediator.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Measurement precision

If monoclonal antibodies are used to target specific cancer cell receptors, then selectivity is improved, but adverse immune reactions with severe side effects occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecancer cell targeting selectivityVSAvoidadverse immune reactions

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the immunological mechanism of monoclonal antibodies with a neurobiological mechanism. Instead of using immune cells and antibody-receptor binding, the invention uses neural interfaces to modulate nerve activity and neurotransmitter release, substituting one biological system for another to achieve similar selective effects without immune-mediated side effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If immunotherapy is used to restore immune cells action against the tumor, then anticancer activity is enhanced, but cell-specific limitations restrict applicability to few cancer types

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveanticancer activityVSAvoidcancer type applicability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal treatment platform that can be applied across different cancer types by targeting the common mechanism of tumor-innervating nerves. The neural interface approach does not depend on cancer-specific markers or immune cell types, making it broadly applicable to various epithelial cancers while maintaining selective anticancer activity through neural pathway modulation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Object-affected harmful factors

If drug treatment is stopped and switched to palliative treatment to avoid suffering, then side effects are prevented, but treatment efficacy is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveside effectsVSAvoidtreatment efficacy

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the fundamental parameter of treatment mechanism from chemical (chemotherapy) to electrical/neural (neuromodulation). This parameter change allows for precise control of therapeutic effects through adjustable electrical stimulation parameters, enabling effective tumor growth inhibition without the toxic side effects that would require treatment discontinuation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach allows for precise and selective therapeutic action against cancer, reducing tumor mass and metabolic activity with high controllability and minimal side effects, potentially enhancing the efficacy of existing drug therapies.

Implementation Method 1

performing a neuromodulation protocol to said nerve using said neural interface

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElectrical stimulation: Electric Field

Implementation Method 2

Nerve fibers formation and spreading within the tumor niche have been recently discovered to alter TME properties via neurotransmitters release

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectNeurotransmitter release modulation:

Data Source

PatentUS20250186768A1Bioelectronic modulation of nerve-cancer communication to influence the tumor microenvironment

Publication Date: 2025.06.12 SCUOLA SUPERIORE DI STUDI UNIVERSITARI E DI PERFEZIONAMENTO SANT ANNA

AI summary

The invention relates to a method for the treatment of cancer or adjuvating the treatment of cancer by exploiting the bidirectional tumor-nerve communication as novel pathway to induce an anticancer activity towards epithelial cancer cells using bioelectronic neuromodulation aimed at influencing the TME status.