Targeted drug release: The microswimmers are loose
A hitherto unsolved problem in cancer therapy:
How can the diseased cells be targeted without damaging the good ones?
If the active substances could be administered specifically at the “crime scene”, not only could the dose be reduced, but the collateral damage could also be minimized. The idea of using nanites or mini-robots for this is not new. However, this is not yet a final solution to the actual transportation problem. After all, how do I tell the robot where to go and where to unload?
Researchers from two Max Planck Institutes have dedicated themselves to this task. Their microswimmers consist of microporous carbon nitrides. This polymer has photocatalytic properties, enabling it to react to light. The light is used both as an energy source for locomotion and for the actual release of the active ingredient.
The big attraction, however, is that the microswimmers, after initial charging with light, can continue to swim in the dark without losing any active ingredient, thus enabling the targeted release of the active ingredient at the site of action. So far, the floats only work under laboratory conditions, but this basic research lays the first stone for fully automated active ingredient robots.
Anja Fürbach, Market Intelligence Senior Expert
Sources:
- https://www.deutsche-apotheker-zeitung.de/
- https://is.mpg.de/de/
