A new nanoparticle to act at the heart of cells

How can a drug be delivered exactly where it is needed, while limiting the risk of side effects? The use of nanoparticles to encapsulate a drug to protect it until it reaches its point of action is being increasingly studied. However, this requires identifying the right nanoparticle for each drug according to a series of precise parameters. A team from the University of Geneva (UNIGE) and LMU has succeeded in developing a fully biodegradable nanoparticle capable of delivering a new anti-inflammatory drug directly into macrophages - the cells where uncontrolled inflammatory reactions are triggered - ensuring its effectiveness. In addition, the scientists used an in vitro screening methodology, thus limiting the need for animal testing. These results, recently published in the Journal of Controlled Release, open the way to an extremely powerful and targeted anti-inflammatory treatment.

Bart Boersma, Karin Möller, Lisa Wehl, Viola Puddinu, Arnaud Huard, Sébastien Fauteux-Daniel, Carole Bourquin, Gaby Palmer, Thomas Bein: Inhibition of IL-1β release from macrophages targeted with necrosulfonamide-loaded porous nanoparticles. Journal of Controlled Release, 2022

For the press release of the University of Geneva see here.