Scientists have developed a new method that could allow rapid injection of antibody drugs, which are typically administered via slow intravenous drips.
Antibodies, used to treat cancer, autoimmune diseases, and metabolic disorders, are usually unstable at high concentrations in fluids, necessitating time-consuming infusions.
The breakthrough involves encapsulating proteins in tiny particles coated with a polymer called MONI, which keeps them stable, dry, and prevents clumping. Eric Appel of Stanford University likened the process to “candy-coated chocolate,” with the protein inside and a protective glassy layer outside.
Tests with albumin, human immunoglobulin, and a monoclonal antibody for COVID showed that the new method allowed injections at more than twice the concentration of conventional fluids.
Appel said the technique could be applied to a wide range of biologic drugs, making treatments that once took hours in a clinic deliverable in seconds via a syringe or auto-injector at home.
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