Nanofluidic device delivered controlled doses
People with chronic diseases like arthritis, diabetes and heart disease may one day forego the daily regimen of pills and, instead, receive a scheduled dosage of medication through a grape-sized implant that is remotely controlled.
Researchers from Houston Methodist successfully delivered continuous, predetermined dosages of two chronic disease medications using a nanochannel delivery system (nDS) that they remotely controlled using Bluetooth technology. The nDS device provides controlled release of drugs without the use of pumps, valves or a power supply for possibly up to year without a refill for some patients. This technology will be tested in space next year.
A proof-of-concept paper recently published in Lab on a Chip (online June 25) explains how the Houston Methodist nanomedicine researchers accomplished long-term delivery of drugs for rheumatoid arthritis and high blood pressure, medications that are often administered at specific times of the day or at varying dosages based on patient needs.
“We see this universal drug implant as part of the future of health care innovation. Some chronic disease drugs have the greatest benefit of delivery during overnight hours when it’s inconvenient for patients to take oral medication. This device could vastly improve their disease management and prevent them from missing doses, simply with a medical professional overseeing their treatment remotely,” said Alessandro Grattoni, Ph.D., corresponding author and chair of the department of nanomedicine at Houston Methodist Research Institute.
Grattoni and the Houston Methodist researchers have worked on implantable nanochannel delivery systems to regulate the delivery of a variety of therapies for medical issues ranging from HIV-prevention to cancer. As basic research progresses with the remote-controlled device, the Houston Methodist technology is planned for extreme remote communication testing on the International Space Station in 2020. The team hopes that one day the system will be widely available to clinicians to treat patients remotely via telemedicine. This could provide both an improvement in the patients’ quality of life and a reduction of cost to the health care system.
The battery-powered implant contains a microchip that is Bluetooth enabled and relies on wireless communication. To prove the technology worked as planned, the microchip was programmed for three different drug release settings – standard, decreased and increased. With each setting, a specific voltage was applied to a silicon nanochannel within the implant to control drug release.
Current drug delivery devices, such as pain or insulin implants, rely on pumping mechanisms or external ports and typically need refills every couple of months. The Houston Methodist device is implanted under the skin and uses a nanofluidic membrane made with similar technology used in the silicon semiconductor industry. The drug dosage and schedule can be tailored to each patient, and the implant delivers the drugs for many months, even a year, before refills are needed.
According to the CDC, chronic diseases are among the most common, costly and preventable of all medical problems.
Learn more: Remote-controlled drug delivery implant size of grape may help chronic disease management
The Latest on: Drug delivery implant
[google_news title=”” keyword=”drug delivery implant” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Drug delivery implant
- Senseonics gets FDA clearance to pair CGM implant with insulin pumpson April 30, 2024 at 7:54 pm
Analysts said the designation and planned one-year sensor could help Senseonics’ device appeal to more patients.
- Biocompatible Polymers Market Poised for Explosive Growth: Reaching US$ 1.8 Billion by 2033on April 30, 2024 at 1:27 am
In 2023, the biocompatible polymers market is expected to be worth US$ 957 million. The market is expected to reach US$ 1,847.7 million by 2033, expanding at a 6.8% CAGR throughout the forecast period ...
- FDA approves Abbott's dissolving stent for blocked arteries below the kneeon April 29, 2024 at 6:55 am
Abbott has returned to the field of bio-absorbable, dissolving stents, and in somewhat uncharted territory. | Abbott has returned to the field of bio-absorbable, dissolving stents, and in somewhat ...
- Inflammasome Therapeutics Announces First Patient Dosed in Geographic Atrophy (GA) Clinical Trialon April 29, 2024 at 6:17 am
Inflammasome Therapeutics ( a private company developing a new class of inflammasome inhibitor drugs, Kamuvudines, as therapies for prevalent, degenerative diseases, announced the first patient has ...
- CroíValve’s Duo takes a unique approach for treating tricuspid regurgitationon April 26, 2024 at 2:05 pm
CroíValve is making inroads in the tricuspid regurgitation (TR) treatment market currently occupied by Abbott and Edwards.
- Researchers develop implant for post-surgery delivery of chemotherapyon April 10, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Researchers from the U.K.’s University of Birmingham have filed for protection of an implantable device for targeted drug delivery in patients who have undergone surgery, particularly surgery to ...
- This implant will tell a smartphone app when you need to peeon March 25, 2024 at 12:01 pm
[Related: This drug-delivery soft robot may help solve medical implants’ scar tissue problem.] “The key advance here is in the development of super soft, ultrathin, stretchable strain gauges ...
- Wireless charger that sits under your skin could power medical devices before dissolving into your bodyon December 22, 2023 at 6:14 am
The researchers also tested the wireless charger as a drug-delivery system and delivered anti-inflammatory medicine to rats with a fever. After 12 hours, the rats that had no implants had much ...
- Scientists Create Biodegradable Wireless Charger For Human Implantson November 20, 2023 at 12:49 am
Bioelectronic systems that double as implants are largely perceived as the future of drug delivery systems and more. Such devices may be useful as monitoring sensors and drug delivery implants.
- Inside Cochlear And Google’s Joint Quest To Use Technology To ‘Demystify’ Hearing Health For Allon April 17, 2023 at 9:39 am
There’s also excitement from a pharmaceutical aspect with what Dr. Kaplan described as “various drug delivery techniques” that will work in conjunction with the implant itself to restore ...
via Bing News