Text written in Basque and translated automatically by Elia without any subsequent editing. SEE ORIGINAL

Nanoparticles based on pulmonary fluid to direct drugs directly to the lungs

A research group at CIC biomaGUNE has developed nanoparticles based on pulmonary fluid encapsulated in a drug for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis. In tests in mice, 90% of the administered nano-biotic has been retained in the lung, which produces much lower side effects than conventional treatments. The results were published in the international journal Advanced Healthcare Materials.

Conventional treatment of pulmonary fibrosis is administered orally and often leads to adverse effects. The administration of the drug by inhalation directs the drugs directly to the lungs, but since the lung is designed to protect us from the pathogens that enter with the breath, the mechanisms that help defend our body make this administration difficult.

To overcome this difficulty, the CIC biomaGUNE research team has developed nanoparticles of pulmonary surfactant. The surfactant is a mixture of lipids and proteins that cover the alveoli of the lungs, allowing breathing. These nanoparticles retain the original proteins and lipids of the surfactant and its biophysical functionality. In this way, it is expected that the encapsulation of drugs intended to treat pulmonary diseases in the pulmonary surfactant can lead to a better distribution throughout the lung.

Tests with mice have shown that 90% of the administered nano-biotic is retained in the lung. As the researchers have stated, the level of adherence is very high, which means that the amount of drug reaching the liver is much lower than that of conventional treatments. As a result, side effects are reduced. In fact, it is very important that the drugs act only where they are needed to reduce both the dose administered and the side effects.

In addition, they emphasize that the method of synthesis is simple, automated and reproducible and believe that it will open new avenues for the encapsulation of drugs and their use in lung therapies.