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Bringing the Best to the Bedside New Nanodisk Antibiotic Formulation Could Reduce Toxicity, Increase Efficacy
In a new study just published in the March 4th online Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, CHORI senior scientist Robert Ryan, PhD, reports on his laboratory’s development of a new formulation of the anti-fungal antibiotic, amphotericin B. Three lipid formulations of the antibiotic are already FDA-approved, however Dr. Ryan and his colleagues recognized that the human apolipoprotein-A (apo-A-I) molecules they had been studying in their basic research could potentially be added to an existing formulation, Amphotericin B Lipid Complex (ABLC) to form water-soluble, nanometer-scale, high density lipoprotein like particles, called nanodisks. While fungal infections are not a problem for most individuals, many people, adults and children alike, who are immunocompromised for any reason, face severely increased risks of infection. "It's known that the incidence of fungal infections is significantly on the increase," says Dr. Ryan. "Anyone who has any kind of depressed immune system, either because they've undergone transplants, cancer treatments, or have HIV, is at great risk of fungal infection." Amphotericin B (AMB) has been the gold standard for the treatment of fungal infections for nearly 5 decades, but has always been hampered by its toxicity, which causes significant problems for patients. While the newer ABLC formulations approved within the last 10 years do confer protection against the toxicity that has been associated with AMB, Dr. Ryan's new AMB nanodisk (AMB-ND) formulation has unique properties that suggest it could have the potential to be used in the development of the next gold standard of treatment. "One advantage is that it could be nebulized for aerosol delivery, which may be beneficial for patients or individuals who have a pulmonary fungal infection," explains Dr. Ryan.
"When you do basic research, you realize pretty quickly that it doesn't translate immediately into treatment," says Dr. Ryan. "We'd like to think, though, that by going through these steps, we have a real opportunity to translate the basic research knowledge we've gained into something useful for the patients at the bedside." Tuesday, May 17, 2011 8:19 AM |
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© 2005 Children's Hospital Oakland Research Institute |