An international study presents, for the first time, a complete system capable of controlling and releasing drugs within the body using magnetic microrobots. The system combines a clinical magnetic field, a precision catheter and biodegradable microcapsules that can be directed exactly to the specific point in the body where the drug needs to act. The study, conducted using animal models, confirms that microrobots can be delivered and activated in a safe and controlled manner, a crucial scientific milestone in promoting the practical use of microrobots in targeted medical treatments.
The study, led by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH Zurich) and published in the journal Science , involves Professor Josep Puigmartí-Luis from the Faculty of Chemistry and the Institute of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry (IQTC) of the University of Barcelona. He is the only researcher from a Spanish institution to sign this paper, which is the result of the European ANGIE project, an initiative coordinated by Professor Salvador Pané (ETH) in collaboration with the Chemistry In Flow and Nanomaterials Synthesis (ChemInFlow) research group, led by Professor Puigmartí.
The new microrobotic platform presents an innovative strategy for administering drugs in a precise and targeted manner. It is scalable and can be applied to numerous situations in which the administration of therapeutic agents is difficult to access, such as tumours, arteriovenous malformations, localized infections, or tissue injuries.
Microrobots that deliver drugs in a targeted manner
The routes of administration of drugs into the body determine the intensity, duration and therapeutic effect of the drug. However, drugs with systemic action often cause serious side effects and are responsible for 30% of drug failures during clinical trials.
Magnetic micro- and nanorobots are technological devices with enormous potential for targeted drug delivery. They can incorporate higher concentrations of therapeutic agents that are delivered directly to critical sites, improving treatment efficacy and minimizing side effects. However, translating this technology into clinical practice remains a scientific challenge.
