Blood- brain barrier disruption with microbubbles is safe and effective for conditions like Alzheimers, depression and more.
According to Dr. Mainprize, once his Phase One clinical trials have shown that blood- brain barrier disruption with microbubbles is safe and effective, "the amount of potential applications to be examined is endless."
Here are a few examples:
ALZHEIMER'S: The accumulation of peptide plaques and tangles of tau protein that characterize the brains of people with this disease are what interfere with their brain functions. Newly identified antibody and modified-antibody treatments have shown positive results in preventing and even clearing away the buildup. "They have these antibodies that seem to work well preclinically," says Dr. Mainprize, "but they are large in size and are not able to penetrate the blood-brain barrier effectively." Opening the barrier to permit the entrance of antibodies, therefore, could help alleviate many of the symptoms of the disease.
DEPRESSION: With some psychiatric patients, their condition has proven to be resistant to medical treatment, which is known as medication refractory depression. "We know from previous studies," says Dr. Mainprize, "that there are certain areas of the brain that seem to be less responsive in something that is called cingulate gyrus area 25," a region that, studies show, is overactive in depression. "Maybe, if we open the blood-brain barrier and get antidepressants in, the patient may start to respond."
BREAST CANCER: Sometimes breast cancer cells can break away and travel through the patient's lymph or blood system into the brain. They are different from the cancer cells of a brain tumour, but just as hard to get at because of the blood-brain barrier. While there are lots of "excellent breast cancer chemotherapy drugs out there," says Dr. Mainprize, "there is suboptimal penetration. If we could open up the blood-brain barrier we could deliver those drugs to tumour cells, and perhaps avoid surgery on a patient with breast cancer that has spread to the brain. That," he adds, "would be perfect for a second study."
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