Researchers Investigate Use of Drug to ‘Prop Open Door’ to Blood-Brain Barrier

The treatment of central nervous system (CNS) diseases can be particularly challenging due to the many therapeutic agents, such as recombinant proteins and gene medicines, that are not easily transported across the blood-brain barrier (BBB). Focused ultrasound can be used to “open the door” of the blood brain barrier. However, finding a way to “prop the door open” to allow therapeutics to reach diseased tissue without damaging normal brain tissue is the focus of a new study by a team of researchers at the Institute of Biomedical Engineering at National Taiwan University presenting at the 57th Annual Meeting of the Biophysical Society (BPS).

The group is investigating the feasibility of using heparin, a common anticoagulant, to enhance the delivery of therapeutic macromolecules using ultrasound into the brain. Heparin could be employed to increase treatment efficacy in patients with different types of CNS diseases under the guidance of medical imaging system providing new hope in these challenging cases. Initial results show that heparin may optimize therapeutic delivery with ultrasound, acting as a “doorstop” and allowing drugs to better permeate the BBB as a means of enhancing treatment success. For more information, click here to read the full release.