Researchers at Houston Methodist nanomedicine have discovered a way ( implantable nanofluidic device) to treat pancreatic cancer – one of the most aggressive and difficult-to-treat cancers – using a device smaller than rice. In a paper recently published in Advanced Science, researchers at the Houston Methodist Research Institute used an implantable nanofluidic device they developed to deliver monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) CD40, which is a promising immunotherapeutic agent, supported by low doses by nanofluidic elution (NDES). ). The result, found in mouse models, was tumor reduction at a rate four times lower than conventional immunotherapy.
“One of the most exciting findings is that although the NDES device was implanted in one of the two tumors in the same animal model, we found tumor shrinkage without the device, ” says Corrine Ying Xuan Chua, Ph.D. said, corresponding. Author and associate professor of nanomedicine at Houston Methodist Academic Institute. “This means that local treatment and immunotherapy can make the immune response to other tumors. In fact, one type of animal remained tumor-free for 100 days of continuous observation.
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is diagnosed at an advanced stage. In fact, approximately 85% of patients have metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis.
Houston Methodist researchers are studying a similar nanofluidic delivery technology at International Airport. Grattoni’s Nanomedicine Laboratory at Houston Methodist focuses on nanofluidics-based implantable platforms for control, long-term drug delivery and cell transplantation to treat chronic diseases.
Immunotherapy shows promise in treating cancers that have previously had no effective treatment. However, because immunotherapy is delivered throughout the body, it causes many side effects that are long-lasting or even life-long. By focusing on direct control of the tumor, the body is protected from exposure to toxic drugs with fewer side effects, which allows patients who receive treatment to live a better life.
“Our goal is to change the way cancer is treated. ”We see this device as a good way to access the pancreatic duct in a minimally invasive and efficient way, allowing for targeted therapy with fewer drugs,” Alessandro Grattoni, Ph.D., co-author and chair of the department of nanomedicine at the Houston Methodist Research Institute, said.
The NDES device has a stainless steel drug reservoir with nanochannels, creating a membrane that allows for expansion when the drug is released.
Other medical technology companies offer intratumoral injections of drugs for the treatment of cancer, but these are for short-term use. The Houston Methodist nanofluidic device is designed for long-term, controlled release, avoiding repeated treatments that often result in side effects.
Additional laboratory studies are being conducted to determine the effectiveness and safety of this delivery technology, but researchers would like to see it become a viable option for cancer patients in the next five years.
Source: Houston Methodist
