New drug-delivery method offers promise in fight against neurodegenerative diseases
For patients battling neurodegenerative diseases like ALS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and other dementias, delivering disease-fighting antibody drugs directly to the brain has proven to be a difficult task. Our bodies set up tight walls to prevent infections from spreading to the brain, where they often become fatal.
New drug-delivery method offers promise in fight against neurodegenerative diseases. Patients with neurodegenerative diseases like ALS, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and other dementias face challenges in delivering disease-fighting antibody drugs directly to the brain. The body's immune system forms barriers to prevent infections from entering the brain, which also hinders the delivery of drugs.
Researchers at the University of Ottawa have discovered a new method using extracellular vesicles—tiny bubbles produced by cells—to bypass this barrier and deliver drugs to the brain. These vesicles naturally slip through blood vessels into the brain, allowing the antibodies to reach their target. Dr. Derrick Gibbings, a professor at uOttawa, explains that engineered antibodies can attach themselves to disease-causing proteins and direct them to the autophagy system, which breaks down and eliminates these proteins.
This method has shown promising results in mice models, improving symptoms of Alzheimer's, dementia, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. However, translating this approach to human trials remains a significant challenge, as previous antibody treatments in clinical trials have shown limited benefits. The researchers hope that this new strategy could be a breakthrough in making these drugs effective for patients suffering from neurodegenerative diseases.
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