Short Description
IIT Madras and Australian universities innovate a groundbreaking nanotechnology system for targeted breast cancer drug delivery, enhancing efficacy while minimizing side effects.
Read Time
Approximately 3 minutes and 45 seconds.
Main Article
In a remarkable breakthrough for breast cancer treatment, researchers from IIT Madras collaborated with Monash University and Deakin University to develop a revolutionary nanotechnology injection delivery system. This innovative approach precisely targets cancer cells using a tiny needle system, effectively delivering the anticancer drug doxorubicin while protecting healthy tissues from potential harm. With breast cancer being one of the most prevalent forms of cancer in women, particularly in urban areas like Chennai—where it constitutes 28% of cancers in women—this advancement could have significant implications for treatment outcomes.
The new drug delivery system utilizes needle-shaped silicon tubes on a microchip, which house doxorubicin within protective bubbles. According to Dr. Swathi Sudhakar, an assistant professor at IIT-M, the initial studies were conducted on petri dishes. Researchers demonstrated that the drug could be directly released, offering rapid delivery. However, for a sustained effect, it was crucial to encapsulate the drug within a bubble before delivery. Lab tests showed that this innovative system effectively halted cell growth, eliminated cancer cells, and even inhibited the formation of new blood vessels that tumors depend on for growth.
In conventional cancer treatments like chemotherapy, systemic drug exposure often leads to considerable side effects, impacting non-cancerous tissues. The results of this study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Advanced Materials Interfaces, reveal that this new nanotechnology system outperformed the drug used alone, functioning 23 times more effectively. It also demonstrates long-term drug release capabilities lasting up to 700 hours, addressing several shortcomings of existing nanocarrier systems, such as burst drug release and poor tissue compatibility.
Researchers believe this technology is not only scalable but also a promising candidate for future clinical trials. The prospect of a targeted delivery system that minimizes collateral damage to healthy tissues could change the landscape of breast cancer treatment, offering new hope for patients seeking effective therapies with fewer side effects.
Short Summary
The innovative nanotechnology injection system developed by IIT Madras and Australian researchers promises a targeted approach to breast cancer treatment, delivering doxorubicin directly into cancer cells while preserving healthy tissues. With over 23 times the efficacy of conventional methods and extended drug release, this technology represents a significant leap forward in cancer therapy. Future trials could establish it as a reliable treatment option for patients battling breast cancer.
