Leeds team develops cancer drug delivery technique

The technique involves using ultrasound to burst bubbles that contain drugs. If successful, the technique could be adapted for other diseases.

The project brings together engineers, physicists, chemists and cancer specialists from across the university to work on the new technique.

The research will use existing chemotherapy drugs to gain initial proof of concept before adapting the delivery mechanism for use with novel therapeutics being developed at the university to treat colorectal cancer.

Tiny gas-filled bubbles are already used in medicine to provide a clearer image on ultrasound scanners. When they are injected into the bloodstream, they reflect a stronger signal than the surrounding tissue but certain ultrasound signals will burst the bubbles and it is this phenomenon that the researchers plan to exploit as a cancer treatment.

The researchers will attach the drug to microbubbles, along with antibodies that are attracted to the tumour to make the bubbles congregate at the tumour site.