Researchers from Duke University have developed a biopolymer that could provide weeks of glucose control for patients with diabetes – in a single injection. The controlled-release treatment lasted for weeks in primates, according to a study published in Nature Biomedical Engineering. The biomedical engineers suggested that this new, injectable solution could replace daily or weekly insulin shots for […]
Hydrogel tech boosts success of transplanted insulin-producing cells
A hydrogel material embedded with a protein to improve blood vessel growth may boost the success rate of transplanting insulin-producing islet cells into patients with Type I diabetes, according to a preclinical study published in the journal Science Advances. In the newly-published work, supported by the National Institutes of Health and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, […]
Nanoparticles: An industry buzzword meets reality
Young startups backed by nanoparticle tech face a world hurdles before reaching the clinic. It’s been decades since the first innovations with nanotechnology – and experts are asking, “Where are all the drugs?” It’s been more than 20 years since the FDA approved the first nanoparticle drug, Doxil. At the time, nanoparticles were heralded as a […]
Nano-drug hitchhikes on white blood cells directly to tumor site
Researchers from Washington State University have developed a way to target drug delivery to a tumor by attaching the therapeutic to white blood cells. The discovery, which the team describes as a 1st of its kind, could help doctors provide more targeted cancer treatment. The researchers attached a nanoscale particle to a white blood cell […]
Researchers combine modified insulin and red blood cells to regulate blood sugar in diabetic mice
Researchers from North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have designed a glucose-responsive “smart” insulin delivery system using modified insulin and red blood cells. In an animal study of mice with Type I diabetes, the system effectively reduced blood sugar levels for 48 hours. The team’s work was published […]
Nanoscale ‘slingshot’ shoots drug to infection site
Researchers from the University of Rome Tor Vergata and the University of Montreal have reported the design and synthesis of a nanoscale molecular slingshot made of DNA that could potentially shoot and target drugs to specific regions of the human body. The slingshot is made of a synthetic DNA strand that can be loaded with […]
Study: Nanoparticle shrinks tumor size by 80% in mouse model
Researchers from the Mayo Clinic have developed a type of cancer-fighting nanoparticle that is designed to shrink breast cancer tumors and prevent recurrence. In a mouse model, the therapy yielded a 70-80% reduction in tumor size and mice treated with the nanoparticles demonstrated resistance to future tumor recurrence a month later. The nanoparticle is coated […]
Ibuprofen delivered via metal-organic framework sports doubled half-life
Researchers at Northwestern University have published data showing that metal-organic frameworks can be used to extend the duration of ibuprofen. The in vivo mouse study was published in Molecular Pharmaceutics. Metal-organic frameworks are made up of metal ions linked to organic ligands. Since MOFs are porous, researchers pack active ingredients inside of them and use them as […]
Nanoparticle vaccine triggers immune system to fight multiple cancer types
Researchers from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center have developed a nanoparticle vaccine immunotherapy that fights multiple cancer types, according to a preclinical study published in Nature Nanotechnology. The nanovaccine, which the team calls a 1st of its kind, is made up of tumor antigens inside of a synthetic polymer nanoparticle. “What is unique about […]
Targeted drug delivery system releases chemo drug for 40 days
Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have developed a targeted drug delivery system that is triggered by the acidic environment around a tumor. The system delivers chemotherapy to the tumor for 40 days and doesn’t affect healthy tissues, according to a preclinical study published in Experimental Biology and Medicine. Traditional cancer therapy sometimes requires patients to receive […]
