Overview

• Published September 16 in Nature Chemistry, the University of Cambridge study reports a preclinical system that builds a STING agonist directly within tumors.
• The design splits the therapy into two inert pieces, one kept 'caged' until β‑glucuronidase unlocks it, allowing the pair to react and form a potent immune activator at the cancer site.
• In engineered zebrafish and mouse models, activation occurred predominantly in tumors and spared major organs including the liver, kidneys and heart.
• The strategy aims to overcome safety issues seen with systemic STING agonists by restricting pathway activation to disease tissue at very low effective concentrations.
• Researchers describe the small‑molecule, in‑situ assembly approach as a potential platform for precision medicines beyond oncology, though it remains at the preclinical stage.