Drug-delivery research shows early promise

Published: 24-Mar-2010
Drug Delivery Research & Development Pharmaceutical

Nanotechnology drug delivery could provide breakthrough in cancer treatment

Northeastern University pharmaceutical sciences professor Mansoor Amiji is leading interdisciplinary research into nanotechnology-based methods of drug delivery that could provide breakthroughs in treating diseases such as cancer, Alzheimer’s, schizophrenia and HIV/AIDS.

Amiji and his collaborators from the Colleges of Arts and Sciences and Engineering at the University in Boston, Massachusetts, US have been awarded R21 grants by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to support their research. The NIH’s R21 programme encourages novel and high-risk/high-reward research by providing support for the early and conceptual stages of project development.

The National Cancer Institute has awarded a two-year, US$350,000 grant to develop more potent therapies for killing cancer cells that become resistant after initial chemotherapeutic treatment.

Amiji, working with chemistry and chemical biology professors Robert Hanson and Max Diem, will explore whether including the cell killer ceramide as a part of chemotherapy will kill tumour cells that are resistant to other treatments. Using nanocarrier technology, the combination treatment would be delivered directly to a cancer cell’s mitochondria to trigger cell death.

The National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke has awarded a two-year, US$475,000 grant to Amiji and chemical engineering professor Rebecca Carrier to examine a ‘nano-emulsion’ system of delivery that will allow drugs to cross the blood-brain barrier. The process could greatly increase the recovery chances of a patient with Parkinson’s or HIV/AIDS, because ‘having a system to get these drug therapies to their appropriate place of action is critical,’ said Amiji.

Current drugs developed for treating brain diseases cannot reach the brain 98% of the time because of the low permeability of the blood-brain barrier. Researchers are investigating whether a nano-sized mixture of water, oil droplets rich in omega-3 fatty acids and curcumin, an Indian spice, will help drugs cross the blood-brain barrier by increasing its permeability.

See more

You may also like

You need to be a subscriber to read this article.
Click here to find out more.
Research & Development

PhoreMost announces PMC-001 as lead oncology programme

Read more
The biotech will advance the small molecule towards Phase I trials, positioning it for the treatment of primary and secondary brain cancers. Dr Gabriel Fox will also join the company as Consulting Chief Medical Officer to lead the clinical development of the molecule

Trending Articles

  1. Redefining safety, efficiency, and sustainability: SCHOTT Pharma launches next generation polymer syringe system A new cap design for prefillable polymer syringes provides tamper evidence at the individual syringe level, significantly reducing the risk of drug waste and ensuring patient safety. The integrated label concept, developed with Schreiner MediPharm, offers reliable first-opening indication, oxygen and light protection, and can include an RFID chip for accurate drug traceability and inventory management. A carton secondary packaging eliminates the need for blister packs, reducing waste and saving valuable storage space in hospitals and during transport, thereby cutting the carbon footprint of the entire value chain by up to 58%
  2. The IND advantage: why early derisking is a strategic imperative for complex biologics As biologics grow more complex, early identification and the mitigation of manufacturability, stability and immunogenicity risks have become the critical factor separating programmes that reach IND on time from those that don't, says Yvette Stallwood, Head of Early Development Services at Lonza
  3. AI-designed drug product enters clinical development Phase I study of an AI-designed oral formulation sets a new standard in drug development

Upcoming event

BIO International Convention

22–25 June 2026 | Convention | Boston, US See all

You may also like

You need to be a subscriber to read this article.
Click here to find out more.
Research & Development

PhoreMost announces PMC-001 as lead oncology programme

The biotech will advance the small molecule towards Phase I trials, positioning it for the treatment of primary and secondary brain cancers. Dr Gabriel Fox will also join the company as Consulting Chief Medical Officer to lead the clinical development of the molecule
You need to be a subscriber to read this article.
Click here to find out more.
Research & Development

Where nanoengineering meets drug formulation

How Nanexa is turning short-acting drugs into long-acting injectables
Drug Delivery

Stevanato Group launches Deora pen injector platform targeting GLP-1 and incretin therapies

The fixed-dose, multi-use pull-push device accommodates volumes up to 0.75 mL, offering pharma partners a scalable, error-reducing delivery solution for diabetes and weight management programmes
Ingredients

Safe and accurate flow measurement for pharmaceutical production

Oval Gear (OG) meters from Titan Enterprises, fitted with a Namur sensor, provide consistent, accurate measurement across a wide range of liquids, from low-viscosity solvents to more viscous pharmaceutical ingredients
You need to be a subscriber to read this article.
Click here to find out more.
Research & Development

The path to commercial allogeneic iPSC therapies

The cell therapy sector is currently shifting from patient-specific autologous treatments toward off-the-shelf allogeneic cell therapies. Although this transition is helping to democratise access to treatments, it introduces several challenges in terms of controlling complex biology at a commercial scale
Research & Development

The IND advantage: why early derisking is a strategic imperative for complex biologics

As biologics grow more complex, early identification and the mitigation of manufacturability, stability and immunogenicity risks have become the critical factor separating programmes that reach IND on time from those that don't, says Yvette Stallwood, Head of Early Development Services at Lonza
Research & Development

Stipple Bio enters into multi-target license agreement with Lonza to advance precision oncology ADC therapies

Stipple Bio’s Pointillist Platform identifies tumour-specific cell surface epitopes that, when combined with Lonza’s clinically validated ADC platform, may enable first-in-class and best-in-class ADC oncology medicines such as STP-100
Subscribe now