To prevent hearing damage during cancer treatment, researchers have developed a novel drug-delivery system that transports medications to the inner ear. (Credit: Chom/AdobeStock)

To prevent hearing damage during cancer treatment, researchers have developed a novel drug-delivery system that transports medications to the inner ear. The researchers wanted to create a targeted drug-delivery approach that can be given directly into the inner ear, rather than an oral drug that must travel throughout the body.

The vehicle portion of the system is comprised of hydrogels, which are water-based substances that can change structure based on their environment. The hydrogel begins as a liquid so that it can be given via an injection, but once it encounters the body’s temperature, it turns into a gel. The hydrogel is also compatible with the human body, so the immune system won’t view it as an invader.

Within the hydrogel are nanoparticles, minute materials that actually carry the drugs. Each nanoparticle is about 100 nm wide; for perspective, a human hair is approximately 100,000 nm wide. The small size enables the nanoparticles to cross a membrane they encounter on the way to the cochlea. Once they reach their destination, the environment of the cochlea prompts the release of the drugs, and because the nanoparticles are within the hydrogel, they discharge slowly, like an extended-release drug. The gel also prevents the nanoparticles from sliding into the eustachian tube, the pipe-like structure near the cochlea.

Source 

Topics:
Medical Nanotechnology

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