Driving delivery vehicles with ultrasound

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Drug Delivery Systems
• Medical Physics

Background:

• Therapeutic ultrasound applications have a 40-year history, initially utilizing mild hyperthermia and increased perfusion.
• Recent advancements reveal new mechanisms for ultrasound-based and ultrasound-enhanced therapies.
• Significant momentum exists for the clinical translation of these advanced ultrasound techniques.

Purpose of the Study:

• To address the mechanisms by which ultrasound enhances local drug and gene delivery.
• To review demonstrated applications of ultrasound in drug and gene delivery.
• To summarize current bottlenecks hindering the clinical translation of these techniques.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on ultrasound-mediated drug and gene delivery.
• Analysis of identified mechanisms, delivery vehicles, and applications.
• Identification of challenges and limitations for clinical translation.

Main Results:

• Ultrasound enhances drug and gene delivery through various mechanisms, including cavitation and thermal effects.
• Diverse delivery vehicles, such as microbubbles and nanoparticles, are effectively utilized with ultrasound.
• Numerous preclinical and some clinical applications demonstrate the potential of ultrasound-enhanced delivery.

Conclusions:

• Ultrasound offers a promising non-invasive modality for targeted drug and gene delivery.
• Further research and development are needed to overcome current bottlenecks for widespread clinical adoption.
• The field is rapidly advancing, with significant potential for future therapeutic breakthroughs.