Improving Glioma Drug Delivery: A Multifaceted Approach for Glioma Drug Development.

in Pharmacological research by Marybeth G Yonk, Megan A Lim, Charee M Thompson, Muhibullah S Tora, Yuliya Lakhina, Yuhong Du, Kimberly B Hoang, Annette M Molinaro, Nicholas M Boulis, Wael Hassaneen, Kecheng Lei

TLDR

  • The study is about finding new ways to treat a type of brain cancer called glioma. The problem is that the brain has a special barrier that keeps bad things out, but it also keeps good things out, like medicine. The study looks at current treatments for glioma and finds that they don't work very well because they can't get through the barrier. The study suggests that we need to find new ways to get the medicine through the barrier, like using special delivery methods or computer models to help us understand the barrier better. The study also says that these new ways could make the treatments work better and help more people with glioma.

Abstract

Glioma is one of the most common central nervous system (CNS) cancers that can be found within the brain and the spinal cord. One of the pressing issues plaguing the development of therapeutics for glioma originates from the selective and semipermeable CNS membranes: the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB). It is difficult to bypass these membranes and target the desired cancerous tissue because the purpose of the BBB and BSCB is to filter toxins and foreign material from invading CNS spaces. There are currently four varieties of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drug treatment for glioma; yet these therapies have limitations including, but not limited to, relatively low transmission through the BBB/BSCB, despite pharmacokinetic characteristics that allow them to cross the barriers. Steps must be taken to improve the development of novel and repurposed glioma treatments through the consideration of pharmacological profiles and innovative drug delivery techniques. This review addresses current FDA-approved glioma treatment's gaps, shortcomings, and challenges. We then outline how incorporating computational BBB/BSCB models and innovative drug delivery mechanisms will help motivate clinical advancements in glioma drug delivery. Ultimately, considering these attributes will improve the process of novel and repurposed drug development in glioma and the efficacy of glioma treatment.

Overview

  • The study focuses on the challenges of developing effective treatments for glioma due to the selective and semipermeable nature of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and blood-spinal cord barrier (BSCB).
  • The methodology used in the study involves a review of current FDA-approved drug treatments for glioma and their limitations, as well as an exploration of computational BBB/BSCB models and innovative drug delivery mechanisms. The study aims to identify gaps, shortcomings, and challenges in current glioma treatment and suggest ways to improve the development of novel and repurposed drug treatments through the consideration of pharmacological profiles and innovative drug delivery techniques. The primary objective of the study is to improve the efficacy of glioma treatment.

Comparative Analysis & Findings

  • The study compares the outcomes observed under different experimental conditions or interventions, specifically the limitations and gaps in current FDA-approved drug treatments for glioma. The results show that these therapies have limitations including relatively low transmission through the BBB/BSCB, despite pharmacokinetic characteristics that allow them to cross the barriers. The study identifies the need for innovative drug delivery mechanisms and computational BBB/BSCB models to improve the development of novel and repurposed drug treatments in glioma. The key findings of the study suggest that incorporating these attributes will improve the process of drug development in glioma and the efficacy of glioma treatment.

Implications and Future Directions

  • The study's findings highlight the importance of developing novel and repurposed drug treatments for glioma that can bypass the BBB/BSCB. The limitations of current FDA-approved drug treatments for glioma, such as low transmission through the BBB/BSCB, underscore the need for innovative drug delivery mechanisms and computational BBB/BSCB models. The study suggests that future research should focus on developing novel drug delivery mechanisms and computational BBB/BSCB models to improve the development of effective treatments for glioma. The study also highlights the potential impact of these findings on clinical practice and the development of new drug treatments for glioma.
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