Magnetic 'nanovectors' of drugs
to treat solid tumours have been conceived by the Italian
Institute of Technology in Genoa to study an alternative to
chemotherapy to avoid its side effects.
The project, codenamed FluoMagneto, consists of the use of
magnetic nanoparticles that release the chemotherapy drug at the
site of the tumour using an alternate magnetic field.
"The magnetic nanoparticles transport the drugs for
anti-tumour therapy in a more 'intelligent' way in alternative
to traditional chemotherapy," explains Teresa Pellegrino from
the IIT in Genoa, the coordinator of the Fluomagneto team that
also includes researchers Maria Elena Materia, Liberato Manna
and Simone Nitti.
"In this way one can reduce the doses of chemotherapy
drugs and the collateral effects. It is a very active research,
on the frontier, that is being developed - the field of
application is widening and involving more sectors. These
magnetic nanoparticles can be used as agents of contrast to
diagnose tumours, potentially they could also separate tumour
cells".
FluoMagneto is among 10 start-up finalists of BioUpper,
the programme of project acceleration in the field of life
sciences launched by Novartis and the Cariplo Foundation with
PoliHub.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
