Nanoparticles targeting arterial plaque showing promise
Via Instapundit we have news from UC Santa Barbara of the development of a nanoparticle that can identify and bind with plaque in the cardiovascular system. Plaque is both a cause and a symptom of cardiovascular disease and can also lead to heart attacks. From the Science Daily article:
“The purpose of our grant is to develop targeted nanoparticles that specifically detect atherosclerotic plaques,” said Erkki Ruoslahti, distinguished professor at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research at the University of California, Santa Barbara. “We now have at least one peptide, described in the paper, that is capable of directing nanoparticles to the plaques.”
This is a critical function of any therapy. It has to be able to accurately identify the tissues in the body that need the medicine or what have you while leaving the other tissues alone. This nanoparticle appears to do nothing more than that but the next phase would be to attach some sort of pharmaceutical to the particle and have it deliver that medicine to the site of the plaque. Perhaps it could be something that would loosen the hold of the plaque on the vessel wall, allowing the bloodstream to carry it away. No plaque build-up, no arterial blockage and that means no blockage-induced heart attack. As the Professor says: faster, please.
