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Printer FriendlyRelease date: March 29, 2001
Contact: Geoff Harvey
(509) 372-6083
New Materials for Localized Delivery of Therapeutic Agents
 Click for larger view A mixture of a therapeutic agent and polymer that gels at the affected tumor site, blocking local blood flow and localizing the delivery of the therapeutic agent. (3.59" x 2.93" 300 dpi photo available from PNNL's Photo Library.) |
Cancer is a disease that this year alone will attack and kill 560,000 more than 1,500 Americans a day. Yet, despite modern medical treatments, it is the second leading cause of death in the U.S. Current methods for treating solid, non-removable tumors involve whole body doses of radiation or chemotherapy agents. The goal is to maximize the treatment of cancer cells, while minimizing the effect on normal tissue. However, the patient often must undergo several treatments because a high enough dosage of radiation or chemotherapy could severely damage healthy tissue if given all at once. There also are undesirable side affects such as flu-like symptoms, nausea and hair loss.
Right On Target
New stimuli sensitive polymeric materials being developed by researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory would ensure the therapeutic agent is located at the site of diseased tissue and leaves healthy tissue alone. If successful, it could greatly reduce the side affects caused by systemic whole-body treatments.
Solutions, containing small amounts of the stimuli sensitive polymers and the therapeutic agent, would either be injected into the main artery feeding the tumor or directly into the tumor tissue. The polymer would harden near the injection site thereby localizing the therapeutic agent at the tumor. This would maximize the efficacy of the therapeutic agent while minimizing the adverse effects on normal, healthy tissue.
Stimuli sensitive polymers while dissolved in water remain in a liquid form at room temperature. However, the polymer solution forms a solid gel under various stimuli such as temperature, pH, ionic strength, etc. For example, when a thermally sensitive polymer is at room temperature it remains in a liquid form, but once heated inside the body to physiological temperature, it "hardens." This gelation mechanism allows for the localized entrapment of various therapeutic agents. For instance, these gels could contain a therapeutic radioisotope, a chemotherapy agent or many other pharmaceutical agents. Directly targeting the tumor enables the physician to give the exact amount of dosage required to treat the tumor without the risk of damaging healthy tissue. Multiple treatments may be eliminated as well as uncomfortable side effects.
Partnering Opportunities
The medical applications for using hydrogels don't end with treating cancer. Other potential applications include the delivery of contraceptives and other therapeutic agents.
Development of hydrogels is ongoing; however Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is seeking research and clinical partners to bring the technology into real-world applications.
Business Inquiries:
Erik Stenehjem
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
P.O. Box 999, K9-78
Richland, WA 99352
Telephone: (509) 372-4212
Facsimile: (509) 372-4589
Email: erik.stenehjem@pnl.gov
Media Contact:
Geoff Harvey
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
P.O. Box 999, K1-36
Richland, WA 99352
Telephone: (509) 372-6083
Facsimile: (509) 375-2242
Email: geoffrey.harvey@pnl.gov
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is operated for the U.S. Department of Energy by Battelle Memorial Institute.
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