Maréne Landström and a figure from the scientific letter published in Springer Nature’s journal Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy. A research team from Umeå and Uppsala university led by Maréne Landström, founder of MetaCurUm Biotech, has identified a panel of seven blood-based protein biomarkers that can accurately detect clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the most common and aggressive form of kidney cancer.
The biomarkers are linked to the TGF-β signaling pathway and hypoxia, two mechanisms known to drive tumor progression.
The findings were published as a scientific letter in Springer Nature’s journal Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy, highlighting the potential of liquid biopsies for early cancer detection. The study also revealed a novel interaction between the proteins TGFBR1 and NT5E, suggesting new therapeutic avenues.
“We are proud of the study and the findings. These results strengthen the scientific foundation for our drug development at MetaCurUm, where we aim to inhibit TGF-β-driven tumor signaling in solid tumors. It supports our hypothesis that the MetaCurUm TGFbeta receptor 1 targeting monoclonal antibody treatment may improve prognosis, particularly in solid tumors like clear cell renal carcinoma, where TGF-β and hypoxia are key drivers of aggressiveness,” says Maréne Landström, founder and CSO, MetaCurUm Biotech.
The research was funded by several Swedish organizations, including the Swedish Cancer Society, Swedish Research Council, SciLifeLab, Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation, Kempe Foundation, and Umeå University.
While the results are promising, the authors emphasize the need for larger studies to validate the findings and support future clinical applications.
Read the study here: https://www.doi.org/10.1038/s41392-025-02404-7
Figure from “Liquid biomarkers associate with TGF-β Type I receptor and hypoxia in kidney cancer” (Mallikarjuna et al., 2025), published in Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy. DOI: 10.1038/s41392-025-02404-7
Umeå Biotech Incubator (UBI) is one of Sweden’s state-of-the-art business incubators within the life sciences. We help researchers to use their data to the benefit of patients and citizens, improving their health. We support and train entrepreneurs in the fields of pharmaceuticals, diagnostics and medical engineering, and act as a bridge between academia, medicine and the business community.
Powered by Notified