Nanoparticle drugs shown to shrink tumours faster

Drugs divided into nanoparticles are more effective at shrinking tumours than conventionally structured medicines, according to researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis Missouri, US.

Researchers used fumagillin-coated nanoparticles - a naturally occurring antibiotic that inhibits cell proliferation - and focused the drug directly on tumours in rabbits. They found that the nanoparticles were more effective at slowing tumour growth when the dose was 1,000 times lower than with traditional medicines.

"Many chemotherapeutic drugs have unwanted side-effects, and we've shown that our nanoparticle technology has the potential to increase drug effectiveness and decrease drug dose to alleviate harmful side-effects," said lead author Dr Patrick M. Winter.

This nanotechnology will be tested later this year in human trials for imaging agents.