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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Nanotechnology could lead to newer, better treatments for cancer and other diseases.
Researchers from the University of California Los Angeles and Northwestern University have used nanotechnology to develop a new way to deliver drugs that is invisible to the immune system. With nanoscale polymer films -- about four nanometers per layer -- they built a platform of sorts to hold and slowly release an anti-inflammatory drug. A nanometer is one billionth of a meter.
Using this system, drugs could be released slowly and under control for weeks or longer, study author Genhong Cheng, UCLA, was quoted as saying. A drug that is given orally or through the bloodstream travels throughout the system and dissipates from the body much more quickly. Using a more localized and controlled approach could limit side effects, particularly with chemotherapy drugs.
Researchers coated tiny chips with layers of the nanoscale polymer films which provide an invisible cloak for the chips, hiding them from the bodys natural defenses. They then added Dexamethasone - an anti-inflammatory drug - between the layers. When the chips were implanted in mice researchers found the drug-coated films kept the immune system from attacking.
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The technology may also be effective in enhancing the life spans of commonly implanted devices such as cardiac stents, pacemakers and continuous glucose monitors as well as for delivering multiple drugs.
For example, as chemotherapies are delivered through the blood stream they not only attack cancer cells, but other fast growing cells as well. This causes side effects such as anemia, nausea and hair loss. If the chemotherapy could be delivered by an implant directly to the tumor site it would limit these side effects. The drugs would be released slowly and get more of the toxic chemicals directly to the cancer cells.
The researchers are now doing testing in animal models to see whether cancer therapies can be effectively and safely given using the nanomaterials.
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SOURCE: ACS Nano, 2008;2:33-40
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
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