Researchers at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy are advancing two distinct targeted drug delivery projects backed by new National Institutes of Health grants. Eric Bachelder, an associate professor in the division of pharmacoengineering and molecular pharmaceutics, is leading the work to improve treatments for glioblastoma and multiple sclerosis by directing therapies specifically to diseased tissues while minimizing systemic side effects.
Targeting Glioblastoma Recurrence With Biodegradable Implants
Glioblastoma is the deadliest form of brain cancer, and tumors almost always return following treatment. Even when patients undergo surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, most survive for less than a year after diagnosis. To address this challenge, Bachelder secured a five-year, $2.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to develop a localized biodegradable implant.
The device is designed to be placed directly into the space left behind when a brain tumor is removed. Instead of circulating medicine throughout the entire body, where it can cause harsh side effects, the implant slowly releases molecules that activate the immune system precisely where remaining cancer cells hide. The research team manufactures a novel polymer into extremely thin fibers that break down at a controlled rate, allowing the implant to gradually stimulate immunity without harming the brain.
Calming Immune Attacks in Multiple Sclerosis
In a second project funded by the National Institutes of Health, Bachelder’s team is targeting multiple sclerosis, a chronic disease in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the central nervous system. Conventional multiple sclerosis treatments help manage disease activity, but they may not work for everyone and can suppress the immune system more broadly than intended.
The investigators are studying tiny biodegradable particles delivered through the bloodstream that attach to specific immune cells. Rather than stimulating an immune attack like a traditional vaccine, these inverse vaccines are engineered to educate the immune system not to target a specific protein, functioning similarly to allergy shots. Early studies in mice demonstrate that the particles attach to particular immune cells, help reduce harmful inflammation, and are associated with substantial improvement in severe symptoms in models of MS-like disease.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Drug Delivery Research
How does the glioblastoma implant differ from standard chemotherapy?
Standard chemotherapy circulates throughout the entire body and can cause harsh side effects. The biodegradable implant developed at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy is placed directly into the space left behind when a brain tumor is removed to deliver immune-activating molecules locally.
What is an inverse vaccine used for in multiple sclerosis research?
While traditional vaccines teach the immune system to attack a certain protein, an inverse vaccine educates the immune system not to attack a specific protein. In multiple sclerosis models, these engineered particles interact with specific immune cells to help reduce harmful inflammation in the central nervous system.
What funding supports these pharmacy engineering projects?
The research is supported by major grants from the National Institutes of Health, including a five-year, $2.7 million grant dedicated to the glioblastoma biodegradable implant project.
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