New nanocarrier drug delivery technology crosses the blood-brain barrier

Date16th, Apr 2020

Summary:

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) makes it more difficult for substances to be delivered from the blood to the brain compared to peripheral organs. Japanese researchers have developed a cyclic peptide that enhances BBB penetration. By putting drugs into nanoparticles that have the cyclic peptide on their surface, new drug nanocarriers may be developed for the delivery to the brain.

Full text:

Screening Method for Cyclic Peptides that Help Nanoparticles Penetrate the Blood-Brain Barrier

image: A Kumamoto University research group collected phages that penetrate human blood-brain barrier model cells and analyzed the amino acid sequence of the peptides on the permeating phages. view more 

Credit: Professor Sumio Ohtsuki

A Japanese research team has developed a cyclic peptide (a chain of amino acids bonded circularly) that enhances blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration. By attaching the cyclic peptide to the surface of nanoparticles, research and development of new drug nanocarriers for drug delivery to the brain becomes possible.

Unlike blood circulation to the peripheral organs in the body, the BBB prevents various substances, including many drugs, from moving from the blood into the brain. Biopharmaceuticals and macromolecular drugs are attracting attention as new treatments for previously untreatable diseases and for improving outcomes. However, these high molecular weight drugs are unable to penetrate the BBB. Technologies that can deliver them to the brain would bring significant progress in the development of medications that act on the brain.

Aiming to develop technologies applicable to various drugs, a research team from

Source:

EurekAlert