Biotechnology: a key ally in the fight against breast cancer

Breast cancer remains one of the major global public health challenges. It is estimated that one in eight women (12%) will develop the disease during their lifetime. In Spain alone, according to the Spanish Association Against Cancer (AECC), around 35,875 new cases were diagnosed in 2024, accounting for nearly 29% of all tumors detected in women. That same year, 6,604 people died from this cause, 6,513 of them women.

Despite advances in early detection and treatment, 30% of patients experience relapse. Biomedical and biotechnological research play a crucial role in the quest for more effective, safer, and personalized therapies. Biotechnology and precision medicine are reshaping breast cancer treatment, enabling less invasive procedures and improving survival and quality of life.

Therapeutic innovation through nanotechnology

A prominent example of this progress is InnoUp, a Spanish biotechnology company and AseBio member, which develops nanotechnology-based solutions to enhance the administration and efficacy of oncology drugs.

Its CEO, Maite Agüeros, highlights the development of INP12, an oral formulation of paclitaxel designed to optimize its therapeutic action through nanotechnology.

“Thanks to its pharmacokinetic profile, this formulation allows for a safer and potentially more effective administration, facilitating outpatient treatments, reducing toxicity, and improving patients’ quality of life,” explains Agüeros.

The nanoparticle-based system developed by InnoUp protects the active ingredient during its passage through the digestive tract and ensures controlled, prolonged drug release. Preliminary Phase I results have shown an excellent toxicity profile and promising efficacy.

The company is currently collaborating with the Vall d’Hebron Institute of Oncology (VHIO) in the clinical development of INP12. Following the completion of Phase I, Phase II trials are being prepared to confirm clinical benefits and safety.

Turning innovation into hope

Biotechnological systems offer clear advantages over conventional treatments. Reformulating existing drugs to make them safer and more effective paves the way for a more personalized and accessible medicine.

“The challenge is both scientific and clinical, but the potential benefits make it worthwhile,” emphasizes Agüeros, who advocates for a translational vision of innovation by working closely with regulators and healthcare professionals to ensure rapid and safe clinical application.

Companies like InnoUp embody this new paradigm, where collaboration among public research, private companies, and hospitals accelerates the translation of innovation from the lab to the patient. In the coming years, the combination of molecular biology, artificial intelligence, and nanotechnology promises to keep revolutionizing breast cancer treatment with therapies that are increasingly targeted, safe, and human-centered.