Summary
Researchers have developed nasal drops that may help treat deadly brain cancer by boosting the immune response in the brain. The new method uses specially made tiny materials to deliver medication to the brain through the nose. This approach has shown promising results in mice with glioblastoma, a fast-growing brain cancer.
Key Facts
- Scientists at Washington University and Northwestern University created the new nasal drop therapy.
- The method uses small, engineered materials called spherical nucleic acids to deliver drugs to the brain.
- In tests on mice, the nasal drops helped shrink glioblastoma tumors by activating the immune system.
- Glioblastomas affect over 12,000 people each year in the U.S.
- Current treatments for glioblastoma include surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, but there is no cure.
- The nasal drops are not yet ready for human use, and further development is needed.
- The approach targets a cell pathway called STING, which helps activate the immune system.
- This method could provide a non-invasive treatment option, avoiding the need for direct tumor injection.
