SMES + paclitaxel

A combination therapy involving the intravenous administration of albumin-bound paclitaxel (ABX) and the application of Specific Mode Electroacupuncture Stimulation (SMES). Developed by The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, this regimen is currently in Phase 2 clinical trials for patients with postoperative recurrent high-grade malignant glioma (WHO grade 4). Paclitaxel is a taxane chemotherapy agent that promotes the assembly of microtubules and prevents their depolymerization, thereby arresting the cell cycle and inducing apoptosis. The SMES component is an innovative delivery strategy that uses specific electroacupuncture parameters (targeting acupoints GV20 and GV26) to transiently open the blood-brain barrier (BBB). This approach aims to overcome the primary obstacle to paclitaxel's efficacy in treating central nervous system tumors, as the drug's high molecular weight typically prevents it from crossing the BBB in therapeutic concentrations.

Other names

Specific Mode Electroacupuncture Stimulation + PaclitaxelSpecific Mode Electroacupuncture Stimulation + albumin-bound paclitaxel