健康科学：イカに着想を得た針を使わない薬物送達システム

A drug delivery system inspired by the ink-jet propulsion mechanisms of cephalopods, such as squid and cuttlefish, is demonstrated in animal models and described in Nature this week. The approach could circumvent the need for needles to administer some types of medication and vaccines, and may increase treatment adherence.

Needles have become essential for the administration of many therapeutics, including macromolecules such as insulin, vaccines and monoclonal antibodies. Whereas some therapeutics can be delivered just beneath the skin, others need to be injected directly into a specific organ, requiring endoscopic needles or even recently developed ingestible, robotic needle devices. However, the use of needles comes with a number of challenges, including patient discomfort and disposal issues.

In the search for an alternative to needles, Giovanni Traverso and colleagues developed a microjet delivery system that mimics the jetting action seen in cephalopods. Their devices can deliver drugs, such as insulin, directly into gastrointestinal tissues using high-pressure liquid jets, as demonstrated in large animal models. The systems achieve targeted delivery of therapeutics at levels comparable to subcutaneous delivery and can be used in tethered (endoscopic) and ingestible devices.

The authors note that further work is needed to make improvements to the jetting mechanism and test safety and efficacy in humans. However, they suggest that their system has the potential to improve tethered and ingestible drug delivery systems.