Nanotechnology Now - News Story: Taking The NanoPulse -- 'Paging Dr. Nanotech. Your Patient is Waiting'

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December 11th, 2007

Taking The NanoPulse -- 'Paging Dr. Nanotech. Your Patient is Waiting'

Abstract:
A quick check-up shows there's cause for healthy optimism, though. Let's look at some people making progress.

There's a company encapsulating nanoparticles of the active ingredient in a proven cancer-fighting drug in microspheres, helping eliminate sever allergic reactions many patients have to the drug. Another lab is working on temperature-activated coatings for cancer drugs. The coating shields the drug at normal body temperature. When the compound reaches the treatment site, a slight rise in body temperature breaks down the coating, releasing the active drug. Another study is working with magnetism as the "release agent." They link drugs to nano-particles of iron oxide, then use a magnetic force that causes the iron to warm slightly, releasing the treatment.

There's even a university group working on making nano-diamonds a cancer-fighter's best friend. Clusters of diamonds carry chemotherapy drugs, but shield the drug from interaction with normal cells which they can damage.

Source:
industryweek.com

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