Targeted Cancer Therapy with Fewer Side EffectsTargeted Cancer Therapy with Fewer Side Effects
Caltech's Breakthrough in Cancer Treatment: Ultrasound-Activated Drugs

A pioneering treatment strategy developed by Caltech utilizes drugs activated by ultrasound to target cancer cells directly, aiming to reduce side effects and boost treatment efficacy.

Traditional chemotherapy, a mainstay in combating cancer, unfortunately comes with severe side effects such as hair loss, nausea, immune system weakening, and more serious long-term consequences like infertility and nerve damage. The challenge lies in the toxicity of chemotherapy drugs, which are designed to kill cancer cells but often harm healthy cells due to their similarity.

Introducing a Novel Drug Delivery System

Caltech's research team has introduced an innovative drug delivery mechanism that promises a leap forward in precise cancer therapy. This system activates drugs via ultrasound at specific sites, aiming for targeted treatment without harming surrounding healthy tissue.

This advancement is the result of a collaboration between Maxwell Robb's and Mikhail Shapiro's labs, combining chemistry with chemical and medical engineering insights. Their work, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, demonstrates the potential of this interdisciplinary approach.

The technique involves gas vesicles from bacteria and mechanophores, molecules that change under physical stress, merging ultrasound imaging and mechanical stress detection technologies. The team has crafted a method to trigger mechanophores using ultrasound waves, a significant stride towards minimizing unintended damage to healthy tissues.

The Mechanism Behind Ultrasound-Activated Therapy

The journey of discovery for Robb and Shapiro involved understanding how ultrasound can mechanically activate these drugs. They overcame a major obstacle when they found that gas vesicles could focus ultrasound energy precisely, avoiding damage to surrounding tissues.

Shapiro's previous work with gas vesicles, which resonate under ultrasound, led to the idea of using intense ultrasound waves to rupture the vesicles. This process concentrates the ultrasound energy, activating the mechanophores in a controlled manner.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Cancer Treatment

Yuxing Yao, a key researcher in Shapiro's lab, highlights the groundbreaking nature of this work, demonstrating controlled chemical reactions in biological settings via focused ultrasound for the first time.

The team is now moving towards testing this platform in living organisms, potentially revolutionizing how cancer is treated, with the goal of minimizing side effects while maximizing therapeutic effectiveness.

Alton Shaffer
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