the impact of Nanomedicine

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Emerging nanomedicine technologies could dramatically transform medical

science

Posted By: News-Medical in Medical Science News 23-7-04

Emerging nanomedicine technologies could dramatically transform medical

science as we know it today with their potential to address unmet

medical needs and provide targeted therapy.

Nanomedicine technologies could find an increasing place in various

areas and applications of the healthcare sector including drug delivery,

drug discovery and development, diagnostics and medical devices.

“Nanomedicine holds the promise of site-specific therapeutic action and

consequently, fewer side effects,” says Technical Insights Industry

Analyst Rajaram Sankaran. “Such site-specificity holds the promise of a

better risk-benefit ratio and thus enhances the prospects for

nanomedicine applications.”

The advent of nanomedicine and techniques for the early diagnosis of

diseases could usher in a new era of superior prophylactic or preventive

medicine. By using preventive medicine, treatment for diseases could be

initiated even before preliminary symptoms appear.

Prophylactic interventions might help postpone or even avoid diseases

altogether. Nanomedicine could therefore have a huge impact on people’s

lives, substantially improving their physical health and quality of

life.

If nanomedicine’s adoption rates in pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical,

and drug delivery companies are anything to go by, its prospects in the

healthcare industry seem bright.

Nanocrystal technology, for instance, is being used in drug formulation

and the new chemical entities screening in the discovery phase of drug

development. Quantum dot particles are being applied in high-content

drug screening and in the detection of breast cancer cells among others.

However, as with other new technologies, nanomedicine also faces its own

set of issues. Scalability is one of its biggest technological

challenges. While large-scale production makes better economic sense,

this is likely to be a complex task, especially when manufacturing

three-dimensional nanostructures as compared to stand-alone or

two-dimensional layer-shaped nanosurfaces.

This perceived difficulty is attributed to the fact that manufacturing

standards for nanomaterials and components are yet to evolve. Therefore,

there is an urgent need for standardized manufacturing techniques; only

then can nanotechnology become ubiquitous in everyday applications.

“Furthermore, since the characteristics of nanoscale matter are very

different owing to their unique nature, there is a need for appropriate

quality control measures that are specific to them,” notes Sankaran.

“This will become increasingly relevant as nanomedicine continues to

evolve and face various other challenges.”

Nanotechnology also faces a strong challenge in the shape of negative

public perceptions with growing reports about the possible toxic effects

of exposure to nanoparticles. Concerns about the potential ill effects

of engineered nanomaterials such as carbon buckyballs and nanotubes

through inhalation, ingestion, or absorption through the skin are

increasing.

Although there is sporadic evidence supporting these possible hazards,

it is essential for the nanomedicine community to take the lead in

defining the risks associated with nanotechnology. Proactively

supporting experts in risk communication can help avert a situation in

which the public might actually reject the technology due to unexplained

fears and worries.

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