Oren Scherman taken by Nathan Pitt ©University of Cambridge.
Professor Oren Scherman’s research group at the Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, has developed a material that can detect subtle changes in the body, such as an arthritis flare-up, and release drugs exactly where and when they are needed.
The soft material can be loaded with anti-inflammatory drugs that are released in response to small changes in pH in the body. During an arthritis flare-up, a joint becomes inflamed and slightly more acidic than the surrounding tissue.
“For a while now, we’ve been interested in using these materials in joints, since their properties can mimic those of cartilage,” said Oren, who is Professor of Supramolecular and Polymer Chemistry and Director of the Melville Laboratory for Polymer Synthesis. “But to combine that with highly targeted drug delivery is a really exciting prospect.”
“These materials can ‘sense’ when something is wrong in the body and respond by delivering treatment right where it’s needed,” said first author Dr Stephen O’Neill, a research associate in the Scherman Group. “This could reduce the need for repeated doses of drugs, while improving patient quality of life.”
The material has been designed to respond to this natural change in pH. As acidity increases, the material becomes softer and more jelly-like, triggering the release of drug molecules that can be encapsulated within its structure.
Since the material is designed to respond only within a narrow pH range, the team say that drugs could be released precisely where and when they are needed, potentially reducing side effects.
“By tuning the chemistry of these gels, we can make them highly sensitive to the subtle shifts in acidity that occur in inflamed tissue,” said co-author Dr Jade McCune, the Scherman Group manager. “That means drugs are released when and where they are needed most.”
If used as an artificial cartilage in arthritic joints, this approach could allow for the continuous treatment for arthritis, improving the efficacy of drugs in relieving pain and fighting inflammation. Arthritis affects more than 10 million people in the UK, costing the NHS an estimated £10.2 billion annually. Worldwide, it is estimated to affect over 600 million people.
While extensive clinical trials are needed before the material can be used in patients, the researchers say their approach could improve outcomes for people with arthritis, and for those with other conditions including cancer. Their results are reported in the Journal of the American Chemical Society.
This article originally appeared on the University of Cambridge website.