Thursday, November 7, 2013

New hydrogel discovery for treating breast cancer

New developments from IBM and Singapore’s Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology shows that hydrogel may be the latest method for treating breast cancer. Hydrogel is non-toxic, biodegradable, biocompatible, and can also distribute the medication at a slower pace. There are three separate post-surgery methods for treating breast cancer: chemotheraphy, hormone therapy, and a monoclonal antibody treatment,  all determined by the stage, size of the tumor, and rate of growth. The antibody treatments consists of combining both the drug and saline and then delivering it intravenously. The problem with this method is that the drugs are absorbed too quickly to travel through the bloodstream, however, this hydrogel can release the drugs at a slower rate.

As an alternative, scientists have developed a novel synthetic hydrogel made up of over 96% water and a degradable polymer. The gel is capable of using a range of different drug molecules. Because the gel dissolves slowly, it can release the drugs relatively slowly, meaning that the process of providing anti-cancer drugs to the target site is more efficient.

What other types of intravenous delivery methods could hydrogel be used for? Want to learn more about the future of drug delivery?

IIR's 18th Annual Drug Delivery Partnerships will help you form a drug delivery strategy that keeps you ahead of the market, register today! Save $700 when you register by 11/15, use priority code XP1978BLOG. To learn more, download our agenda. We hope to see you January 27-29 in Boca Raton!

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