Super Human Red Blood Cells- The Future of Targeted Drug Delivery

A team of researchers at McMaster University has developed “Super Human Red Blood cells” for targeted drug delivery. In case you are a bit confused about the technical Jargon, the Super Human Red Blood cells are nothing but modified red blood cells. Modified cells can be used to distribute drugs throughout the body without getting exposed to the immune system. The mode of drug delivery is highly beneficial in the case of diseases like Cancer and Alzheimer’s.

Super Human Red Blood Cells- The solution to targeted Drug Delivery

The current means of targeted drug delivery methods do suffer from certain flaws. For instance, the synthetic molecules employed for drug delivery often fail to reach the targets or are rejected by the body. The new modified super human red blood cells

can circulate in the body undetected from the immune system for several weeks. They can then bind to specific targets that include bacteria, tumors, or organs. These stealth drug carriers serve to minimise the drug dosages and thereby the side effects.

Also Read: Google’s Deepmind AI detects breast cancer more accurately than humans

The scientists have developed a method to open up red blood cells, modify its outer cell wall, and replace it with drug particles. The modified red blood cells would be injected back into the body. The process also does not take much time and can be completed in a single day in the lab. The hybrid red blood cells appear and behave very much similar to the normal blood cells. However, they do have a sticky surface, which can attach to the specific targets or bacteria and release antibiotics at once. The method is very beneficial for certain diseases like Cancer and Alzheimer’s. It also comes in handy for the treatment of certain bacterial infections.

The lead researchers of the study include Maikel Rheinstädter and Sebastian Himbert. The research is published in the online edition of the Journal “Advanced Biosystems.”

Source, Via