Virus-inspired DNA needle could pave the way for better medicines
Why it matters: This method could significantly improve the efficacy of medicines for genetic disorders, where currently only about 1% of molecules reach their targets.
- Aarhus University researchers developed a synthetic DNA needle, inspired by bacteriophages, that can deliver tailor-made molecules into specific cell types.
- The DNA needle uniquely avoids endosomal trapping, a common problem where cells seal off and inactivate up to 99% of therapeutic molecules, such as oligonucleotides used in genetic disorder treatments.
- Professor Kurt Vesterager Gothelf, senior author of the study, emphasizes that while successful in delivering dye to breast cancer cells in the lab, the next crucial step is securing funding to test delivery of larger molecules, which will determine its medical applicability.
Researchers at Aarhus University have engineered a virus-inspired DNA 'needle' capable of delivering molecules directly into cells while bypassing the cell's natural defense system that typically traps and neutralizes incoming substances. This artificial bacteriophage, detailed in Advanced Science, represents a significant step towards overcoming a major hurdle in medicine where most therapeutic molecules fail to reach their intracellular targets.
