|
|
|
Prescription drugs dominate many people’s lives, but the advent of controlled-release delivery systems is set to change all that. Examples already in the marketplace include time-release pills that reduce the number of doses required for pain relievers and antidepressants, and contraceptive patches and implants. In the November issue of Nature Materials, Robert Langer and colleagues report a novel polymer-based pulsed drug delivery system designed to release accurate doses of drugs from an implant at predetermined times.
The drug delivery system is based on a microchip formed from poly(L-lactic acid), which is a slowly degrading polyester. The drug solutions are injected into reservoirs on the chip surface, and sealed by biodegradable polymer membranes with different degradation rates. By varying the composition and molecular weight of each polymer membrane, Langer and colleagues are able to tightly control the degradation rate (and thus drug release time) over a wide range. The new polymer-based system is capable of releasing a variety of different drugs at well-controlled times. So far, the researchers have demonstrated that heparin -- a common anticoagulant -- remains bioactive after incorporation and release from the system over periods up to 140 days. Given the high biocompatibility and superb performance of the polymer-based system, clinical demonstration should not be too far off. Author contact: Robert Langer
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA
USA
Tel: +1 617 253 3107/3123
E-mail: rlanger@mit.edu Also available online. (C) Nature Materials press release.
Message posted by: Trevor M. D'Souza
|
|
Variants Associated with Pediatric Allergic Disorder
Mutations in PHF6 Found in T-Cell Leukemia
Genetic Risk Variant for Urinary Bladder Cancer
Antibody Has Therapeutic Effect on Mice with ALS
Regulating P53 Activity in Cancer Cells
Anti-RNA Therapy Counters Breast Cancer Spread
Mitochondrial DNA Diversity
The Power of RNA Sequencing
‘Pro-Ageing' Therapy for Cancer?
Niche Genetics Influence Leukaemia
Molecular Biology: Clinical Promise for RNA Interference
Chemoprevention Cocktail for Colon Cancer
more news ...
|