Capsule smaller than a grain of rice used to treat pancreatic cancer

Nanomedicine researchers from the Houston Methodist Academic Institute in the United States small devicesmaller than a grain of rice direct immunotherapy to patients’ tumor pancreatic cancer.

The article was published in the journal Advanced Science. The team used an implantable nanofluidic device they invented to deliver. antibodies monoclonal CD40 (mAb), a promising immunotherapeutic agent at a low, sustained dosage via drug-delivering nanofluid seed (NDES). The result was: Tumor shrinkage at a dose four times lower than conventional systemic immunotherapy treatment.

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is often diagnosed in advanced stages, and approximately 85% of patients already have metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis. Immunotherapy shows promise for treating cancers that previously lacked good treatment options.

“Our goal is to transform the way cancer is treated. We see this device as a viable approach to penetrate the pancreatic tumor in a minimally invasive and effective manner, allowing for more focused treatment with less medication,” said Alessandro Grattoni. , co-author and chair of the nanomedicine division at the Houston Methodist Research Institute.

Houston Methodist researchers are working on similar nanofluid delivery technology aboard the International Space Station. Grattoni’s Nano Medicine Lab at Houston Methodist focuses on implantable nanofluid-based platforms for controlled and long-term drug delivery and cell transplantation to treat chronic diseases.

Discovery is a big step fight against pancreatic cancer and can help many patients suffering from the disease. The research is an example of how nanomedicine can be used to develop more effective and less invasive treatments for a variety of diseases.