Nanotechnology for Lymphatic Vessels

History

2023: Product Announcement

In mid-March 2023, American specialists from the Georgia Institute of Technology announced the development of a nanotechnology solution for the treatment of lymphedema. The new method could help a host of patients around the world.

Lymphedema is a gradual increase in the volume of the limb due to a violation of the outflow of the lymph and its accumulation in the intercellular space. The ailment is a chronic pathology of the lymphatic system, leading to a decrease in quality of life and disability. Lymphatic vessels can be damaged as a result of injury, as well as in the event of side effects with cancer therapy or surgery. Moreover, lymphedema requires lifelong treatment.

Illustration of lymphatic activity before and after use technology

In many patients, the problem is that the lymphatic vessels that are still present in the body do not work. Thus, it is necessary to force these vessels to pump liquid, "said Brandon Dixon, one of the study participants.

Proposed method envisages drug product delivery using nanoparticles. We are talking about the compound S- (-) -Bay K8644, which targets calcium channels involved in muscle contraction. Spreading the drug throughout the body can lead to a variety of unpleasant side effects, including seizures. To solve this problem, the specialists encapsulated the substance into nanoparticles that accumulate in the lymphatic system, and then gradually release the drug exactly where necessary. The use of nanoparticles designed to drain into the lymphatic vessels after injection focuses the drug exclusively in the desired area. Thus, other tissues are not affected and the risk of negative phenomena is excluded. Specialists will find out how this approach can be used to prevent or treat lymphedema in combination with other existing or new^[1]

Notes