Microbubbles Used to Administer Cancer Drugs

New research has shown how microbubbles carrying cancer drugs can be guided to the site of a tumour using antibodies. The study—published in Theranostics—describes how the researchers from the University of Leeds targeted microbubbles through the use of navigational aiding antibodies attracted to the growth hormone found in high levels in the blood vessels supplying a tumour.

The antibodies were attached to the microbubbles, and as a result of being attracted to the growth hormone, the microbubbles became concentrated at the site of the tumour. A pulse from an ultrasound device was used to burst open the microbubbles, and that released the anti-cancer agent.

Nicola Ingram, senior research, said being able to deliver anticancer drugs in a very targeted fashion would be a major advance in cancer therapy. She added, "One of the big problems with cancer drugs is that they are highly toxic to the rest of the body too. Microbubble technology allows us to use these very powerful drugs with precision and that reduces the risk of the drug damaging healthy cells nearby.

The animal-based study also revealed that by attaching the drug directly to the microbubbles allowed it to circulate in the body for longer, increasing delivery into the tumour, making the drug more potent. As a result, the scientists were able to slow cancer growth with a much smaller drug dose.