26/11/2024
The innovative research initiative, "Remedy" (Stabilized Reversed Micelles for Brain Delivery of Hydrophilic Drugs), unites nanomedicine and biotechnology to tackle therapeutic challenges in the central nervous system. With over €1.2 million in funding from the FISA2022 call, the project launched in June and is coordinated by Marco Cecchini from the Istituto nanoscienze (Cnr Nano). It brings together expertise from the Istituto di neuroscienze (Cnr In) and the Istituto di fisiologia clinica (Cnr Ifc). The goal is to create stabilized reverse micelles that can bypass the body's biological barriers and deliver drugs to the brain safely and efficiently.
“Stabilized reverse micelles are structures that shield drugs, ensuring their gradual and targeted release to specific areas of the body, such as the brain,” explains Cecchini. “This innovative technology combines the flexibility of conventional micelles with the structural stability of dense nanoparticles. This combination allows the micelles to cross biological barriers—such as the blood-brain barrier, which often blocks therapies from reaching the brain—and to release drugs in a controlled and safe manner, enhancing therapeutic effectiveness in complex environments like the bloodstream.”
Preliminary tests conducted with Mariacristina Gagliardi and Ambra Del Grosso from Cnr Nano, in collaboration with a pharmaceutical partner, have yielded promising results. These findings have led to a patent for the stabilized reverse micelle system at the heart of the REMEDY project, already drawing interest from industrial and clinical partners.
The potential impact is profound: a precise, controlled drug delivery system could significantly improve treatments for conditions currently deemed hard to manage. “These micelles can carry nutrients, therapeutic proteins, or enzymes to address both mild conditions, such as nutritional deficiencies, and severe diseases like metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders,” Cecchini adds. One promising application is the treatment of Krabbe disease. Preclinical models have shown that delivering the missing enzyme through micelles restores enzymatic activity in nerve cells.
The REMEDY research team includes Marco Cecchini and Ilaria Tonazzini (Cnr-Nano), Laura Baroncelli (Cnr-In), and Luca Menichetti (Cnr-Ifc).
Per informazioni:
Maddalena Scandola
Cnr-Nano
comunicazione@nano.cnr.it
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