Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 5, 2026
05:44
Novel Methods for Intranasal Administration Under Inhalation Anesthesia to Evaluate Nose-to-Brain Drug Delivery
Published on: November 14, 2018
Autonomous intranasal delivery systems for central nervous system therapeutics
Haosheng Shen1,2,3,4, Santosh Kumar Srivastava1,2,3, Nikhil Aggarwal1,2,3
1NUS Synthetic Biology for Clinical and Technological Innovation (SynCTI), National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.
Experimental & Molecular Medicine
|August 2, 2026
Summary
Engineered nanoparticles, extracellular vesicles, and living therapeutics enhance intranasal drug delivery to the brain. These advanced vectors overcome nasal cavity limitations for treating neurological disorders.
Area of Science:
- Nanotechnology
- Synthetic Biology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Intranasal delivery offers a direct, non-invasive route to the central nervous system, bypassing the blood-brain barrier.
- Therapeutic limitations include complex nasal anatomy, limited olfactory epithelium surface area, and short drug residence times.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review strategies for engineering intranasal drug delivery vectors for autonomous nose-to-brain transport.
- To highlight advances in nanotechnology and synthetic biology for enhanced brain drug delivery.
Main Methods:
- Review of current research on engineered intranasal drug delivery vectors.
- Focus on synthetic nanoparticles, extracellular vesicles, and living therapeutics (microbes, viruses, stem cells).
- Emphasis on modular design, host-responsive interactions, and programmable functions.
Main Results:
- Engineered vectors can mimic cellular activities, target the olfactory epithelium, and enhance brain entry.
- Vectors sustain therapeutic release and overcome physiological barriers of the nasal cavity.
- These systems offer autonomous and programmable nose-to-brain drug delivery.
Conclusions:
- Intranasal delivery is a versatile platform for treating neurological disorders.
- Engineered vectors provide autonomous and sustained therapeutic release.
- Advances in vector design pave the way for future translational development in neurotherapeutics.
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