{"670043":{"#nid":"670043","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Georgia Tech Researchers Provide Insight into Evolving Drug-Delivery Systems Technology","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EImagine having a tiny device inside your body that can continuously monitor your health and deliver the right treatment when needed. That\u0027s what closed-loop drug delivery systems (CLDDs) can provide, automatically monitoring, adjusting, and administering medication in response to specific signals within the body.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor example, CLDDs can be used to manage chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, where maintaining precise control over mediation dosage is critical.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile they hold immense promise for improving patient outcomes and treatment adherence, CLDDs have only recently entered clinical use due to the difficulty in integrating the sensing and actuating components of human-machine Interfaces (HMIs).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EResearchers at Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering have published an\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cell.com\/device\/fulltext\/S2666-9986(23)00144-8\u0022\u003Earticle\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in\u0026nbsp;\u003Cem\u003EDevice\u003C\/em\u003E\u0026nbsp;that provides a comprehensive overview of advancements, strengths, and challenges associated with various CLDD approaches.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EExamples of devices already in use include insulin pumps, implantable pain pumps, and epilepsy neurostimulators.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the paper, titled \u201cCommunication Protocols Integrating Wearables, Ingestibles, and Implantables for Closed-Loop Therapies,\u201d the researchers explore both passive and active CLDDs.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EPassive devices (typically implantable or ingestible) can release drugs over extended periods without active, real-time monitoring, while active CLDDs incorporate real-time monitoring and feedback mechanisms to adjust drug delivery in response to changing circumstances.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cActive closed-loop, drug-delivery systems are poised to usher in a new generation of remote, personalized healthcare driven by human-machine interfaces,\u201d said study co-author\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.abramsonlab.com\/\u0022\u003EAlex Abramson\u003C\/a\u003E, an assistant professor in Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cBut to accentuate the shift from passive to active CLDDs, the integration of advanced sensors and actuators is crucial,\u201d added Ramy Ghanim, a PhD student in Abramson\u2019s lab and co-author of the paper.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ESensors in CLDDs continuously monitor specific health parameters in the body (e.g., blood glucose levels for diabetics), and that data is fed to actuators that determine if a specific treatment is needed (such as releasing insulin).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ECommunication Systems\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn the article, the researchers explore various methods for communication transmission in CLDDs, including hardwiring, radio frequency (RF) wireless communication such as Bluetooth, ultrasound, and in-body communication (harnessing the body itself for data transfer through methods like ionic, biochemical, and optical communication). Each method comes with unique advantages and challenges, according to the researchers.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EChallenges in developing advanced HMIs include battery size constraints, powering requirements, data transmission rates, and locational dependance.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EOne big challenge is making sure these devices work no matter where they are inside a patient. Like a cellphone working best near a Wi-Fi router, these devices need to be in the right place to communicate effectively. Sometimes, they move around inside the body, which can be a problem.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe paper explores potential solutions to various challenges, including energy harvesting techniques, wireless powering, and location tracking systems. Ensuring secure data transmission and protection against hacking is also crucial, the researchers noted.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EBenefits to Patients\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBenefits of CLDDs include simplicity by automating treatment, reducing side effects by delivering medication precisely in a timely manner, and cost-effectiveness by reducing hospitalizations and complications associated with patient non-compliance.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EUp to half of all patients requiring frequent and redundant dosages are noncompliant, sometimes missing doses due to complex treatment regimens, according to the researchers.\u0026nbsp;Consequences include decreased quality of life, preventable disease progression, and an estimated annual cost of $528.4 billion in U.S. healthcare expenditure solely due to suboptimal medication therapy.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u201cClosed-loop drug delivery systems are poised to transform the landscape of chronic illness treatment by enhancing therapeutic release profiles and easing drug administration, thereby improving patients\u2019 quality of life, decreasing medical expenditures, and improving compliance,\u201d Abramson said.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECITATION: Ramy Ghanim, Anika Kaushik, Jihoon Park, and Alex Abramson, \u201cCommunication Protocols Integrating Wearables, Ingestibles, and Implantables for Closed-Loop Therapies,\u201d Device,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cell.com\/device\/fulltext\/S2666-9986(23)00144-8\u0022\u003Ehttps:\/\/www.cell.com\/device\/fulltext\/S2666-9986(23)00144-8\u003C\/a\u003E, 2023 \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":"","format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":"","field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EWhile closed-loop drug delivery systems hold immense promise for improving patient outcomes and treatment adherence, CLDDs have only recently entered clinical use due to the difficulty in integrating the sensing and actuating components of human-machine Interfaces (HMIs).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"Closed-loop drug delivery systems can be used to manage chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, where maintaining precise control over mediation dosage is critical"}],"uid":"27271","created_gmt":"2023-09-29 17:28:37","changed_gmt":"2023-10-02 14:03:42","author":"Brad Dixon","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2023-09-29T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2023-09-29T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"671902":{"id":"671902","type":"image","title":"Closed-loop Drug Delivery Systems","body":null,"created":"1696007769","gmt_created":"2023-09-29 17:16:09","changed":"1696007915","gmt_changed":"2023-09-29 17:18:35","alt":"Closed-loop Drug Delivery Systems graphic","file":{"fid":"255052","name":"CLDDs.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/29\/CLDDs.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/29\/CLDDs.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":44689,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/29\/CLDDs.jpg?itok=RrVrtrVA"}},"671903":{"id":"671903","type":"image","title":"Alex Abramson","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAlex Abramson, assistant professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1696008000","gmt_created":"2023-09-29 17:20:00","changed":"1696008099","gmt_changed":"2023-09-29 17:21:39","alt":"Alex Abramson","file":{"fid":"255053","name":"Alex Abramsonweb.png","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/29\/Alex%20Abramsonweb.png","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/29\/Alex%20Abramsonweb.png","mime":"image\/png","size":204292,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/29\/Alex%20Abramsonweb.png?itok=_97__6_m"}},"671904":{"id":"671904","type":"image","title":"Ramy Ghanim","body":"\u003Cp\u003ERamy Ghanim, PhD student in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","created":"1696008225","gmt_created":"2023-09-29 17:23:45","changed":"1696008297","gmt_changed":"2023-09-29 17:24:57","alt":"Ramy Ghanim","file":{"fid":"255054","name":"Ramy GhanimWEB.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/29\/Ramy%20GhanimWEB.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/2023\/09\/29\/Ramy%20GhanimWEB.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":113137,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/2023\/09\/29\/Ramy%20GhanimWEB.jpg?itok=C9pLX4j-"}}},"media_ids":["671902","671903","671904"],"groups":[{"id":"1188","name":"Research Horizons"}],"categories":[{"id":"138","name":"Biotechnology, Health, Bioengineering, Genetics"},{"id":"141","name":"Chemistry and Chemical Engineering"},{"id":"135","name":"Research"}],"keywords":[{"id":"187433","name":"go-ien"},{"id":"186870","name":"go-imat"},{"id":"187915","name":"go-researchnews"},{"id":"560","name":"chemical engineering"},{"id":"9540","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"13603","name":"Drug Delivery Systems"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"},{"id":"39451","name":"Electronics and Nanotechnology"},{"id":"39471","name":"Materials"}],"news_room_topics":[],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EBrad Dixon,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022mailto:braddixon@gatech.edu\u0022\u003Ebraddixon@gatech.edu\u003C\/a\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["braddixon@gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}