BUFFALO, N.Y., March 8 U.S. scientists have developed an unusual nano-centered drug delivery system in which the drug itself acts as the delivery vehicle.The process of efficiently delivering drugs, especially those that are hydrophobic, or water-repellant, to tumors or other disease sites has long been problematic. But now scientists at the University at Buffalo's Institute for Lasers, Photonics and Biophotonics and the Roswell Park Cancer Institute have developed a drug delivery system that uses nanocrystals measuring about 100 nanometers of pure HPPH, (2-devinyl-2-(1'-hexyloxyethyl) pyropheophorbide), a photosensitizer currently in Phase I/II human clinical trials for treating various types of cancer.The researchers found the nanocrystals of HPPH were taken up by tumors in vivo, with efficacy comparable to conventional, surfactant-based delivery systems.In this case, the drug itself acts as its own carrier, said Haridas Pudavar, research assistant professor of chemistry and a study co-author. A patent application has been filed for the technique, which might also be used to deliver other hydrophobic drugs, including those used in chemotherapy.The process is described in detail in the current issue of the journal Molecular Pharmaceutics.Copyright 2007 by UPI
