Preferential stem cell targeting using ProTide nucleoside analogues

This project grant is funded by the pharmaceutical company, Nucana.

Although conventional anti-cancer approaches can frequently eradicate a large proportion of the bulk tumour, the most primitive stem cells are frequently chemo-resistant. ProTide modification of some nucleoside drugs has the potential to preferentially target leukaemic stem cells. Chris Pepper has had a long-standing interest in both cancer biology and drug development and has partnered with Nucana to create this project developing and testing novel ProTide nucleoside analogues on AML stem cells.