Needle phobia is a common fear among individuals of all ages, which often leads to anxiety and reluctance to receive necessary vaccines and medications. However, a new development in medical technology could soon eliminate the need for needles altogether. Researchers have made significant progress in developing a device known as the “MOF-Jet,” which could revolutionize the way vaccines and biologics are delivered into the body. This innovative technology uses compressed gas to drive powdered vaccines that don’t require refrigeration through the skin, making the process virtually painless.
This breakthrough could provide a more efficient and accessible method of administering life-saving treatments for cancer and other diseases, while also reducing the anxiety and discomfort associated with traditional needle injections. With further research and development, the MOF-Jet could become a game-changer in the field of medicine, improving health outcomes and enhancing the quality of life for countless individuals.
The upcoming presentation of the MOF-Jet’s development progress at the American Chemical Society’s Spring 2023 meeting marks a significant milestone in the project’s journey. The ACS meeting provides an excellent opportunity for the research team to share their findings with peers, receive feedback, and explore potential collaborations to further advance the MOF-Jet technology.
Interestingly, the inspiration for this groundbreaking project came from a moment of pandemic-induced boredom. Principal investigator Jeremiah Gassensmith, Ph.D., ordered inexpensive pieces of a compressed gas-powered jet injection system to experiment with during his downtime at home. When he returned to campus, he passed the components on to graduate student Yalini Wijesundara, challenging her to explore the potential of this technology. This is a great example of how creative thinking and curiosity can lead to significant breakthroughs in science and medicine, even in times of adversity.
Yalini Wijesundara’s work on the MOF-Jet is the result of her curiosity and resourcefulness. She took up the challenge of modifying the compressed gas-powered jet injection system given to her by Gassensmith and built upon her previous research on jet injectors dating back to the 1960s. By adapting the technology to fire solids, Wijesundara was able to create a novel approach to delivering therapeutic agents using metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). The MOFs provide a stable and protective environment for a wide range of materials, including nucleic acids and proteins, that can be delivered directly to cells with minimal discomfort or pain.
The history of jet injectors is fraught with challenges, particularly in terms of their effectiveness and safety. Military personnel were among the first to use these devices, but they often found them painful and unpleasant. Furthermore, the risk of splashing fluid and spreading diseases such as Hepatitis B made them less than ideal for medical use. While a modern descendant of the jet injector is the gene gun, which is used in veterinary medicine, it is a costly option that involves shooting biological cargo into cells using metal microparticles. These microparticles can remain in the skin and potentially accelerate the degradation of the biological material. The MOF-Jet represents a significant step forward in the development of needle-free and painless delivery of therapeutic agents, with potential applications in treating cancer and other diseases.
The use of MOFs to protect biological materials and deliver cargo into cells is a unique strategy that sets this research apart. The team’s modified gene gun-inspired “MOF-Jet” is also an innovative method for delivering cargo, which is less painful and potentially more efficient than traditional needle-based methods. Their experiments with delivering a gene to onion cells and a protein to mice demonstrate the versatility and potential of this technology.
The ability to control the release of cargo from the MOF-Jet by adjusting the carrier gas is a major breakthrough for drug delivery. The fact that the release rate can be fine-tuned by using different gases means that a single drug formulation can be administered over a range of time periods, simply by adjusting the type of gas used. This has exciting implications for the treatment of diseases, as it allows for the gradual release of drugs over time, potentially reducing the risk of side effects and increasing the effectiveness of the treatment. Furthermore, the versatility of the MOF-Jet technology could pave the way for new drug delivery applications, and potentially transform the way we approach medical treatment.
The team’s approach using the MOF-Jet to deliver chemotherapeutics and adjuvants for melanoma treatment is a promising development in cancer research. According to the American Cancer Society, melanoma accounts for the majority of skin cancer deaths, with an estimated 7,180 deaths in the United States in 2021. The ability to deliver drugs in a more controlled and even manner using the MOF-Jet could potentially improve treatment outcomes and patient survival rates. Furthermore, the adaptability of the MOF-Jet system could revolutionize drug delivery not only in cancer treatment but also in a wide range of other fields such as veterinary medicine, agriculture, and human vaccinations or treatments in the future. The potential applications of this technology are vast and exciting.
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