-by Fran Benham

The University of Missouri-Columbia has announced a significant advance in nanomedicine—the use of soy coated nanoparticles for the delivery of medications. Soy, grown world-wide and relatively cheap, makes it possible to deliver medicine to specifically targeted cells and tissue safely without toxic side effects. Toxic side effects have been a basic concern about the use of nanoparticles which are built on a foundation of gold. Gold does not create heat or react chemically with medicinal chemicals as do other metals which thereby destroy the intended medical benefit. Gold nanoparticles coated with soy deliver medicine as targeted, then are excreted by the body without harm. This discovery by Dr. Kattesh V. Katti and his colleagues opens the door for many medical applications. It has been greeted by scientists around the world as a major breakthrough in the field of nanotechnology.

An example of the potential use of green nanoparticles follows. Avastin, which is protecting vision in PXE patients with active neovascularization, is injected directly into the eye. Much care is taken to protect the eye from infection. The procedures have been highly successful with excellent results for patients. The use of green nanoparticles coated with Avastin would allow intravenous injection with very small amounts of the medicine targeted to attach and treat specific injured cells and tissue. Less medicine would be needed for a treatment which should result in fewer side effects. Treatment could be administered by a medical technician rather than the retina specialist who currently injects Avastin into the eye. It is expected that this procedure could lower treatment costs while using less medication with the potential for fewer possible side effects. As treatment with Avastin must be repeated a number of times (the number not yet determined), this approach should prove effective and attractive to patients.

NAPE’s Board of Directors has voted to work with Dr. Katti, who is committed to the development of new treatments and diagnostic tools for use in PXE. NAPE will provide funding to support work now underway in Dr. Katti’s lab. PXE Awareness will report regularly on progress as developments occur. For more detailed information about gold nanoparticles, please refer to Dr. Katti’s article, “Nanomedicine: Should NAPE Be Interested?” in PXE Awareness, November 2006—also on the NAPE website www.napxe.org