Researchers from the University of Barcelona receive Jorge Heller Journal of Controlled Release Outstanding Paper Award
An article on the applications of nanotechnology in the treatment of neurodegenerative processes such as Alzheimerʼs disease, published in Journal of Controlled Release -with participation of UB experts, has been awarded the Jorge Heller Journal of Controlled Release Outstanding Paper Award 2019. The award, which is given every year, is awarded by the Controlled Release Society (CRS), the leading scientific society worldwide in the study field of nanomedicine and controlled release of drugs, and is sponsored by the prestigious Elsevier.
An article on the applications of nanotechnology in the treatment of neurodegenerative processes such as Alzheimerʼs disease, published in Journal of Controlled Release -with participation of UB experts, has been awarded the Jorge Heller Journal of Controlled Release Outstanding Paper Award 2019. The award, which is given every year, is awarded by the Controlled Release Society (CRS), the leading scientific society worldwide in the study field of nanomedicine and controlled release of drugs, and is sponsored by the prestigious Elsevier.
This award, to be given in the VRS annual meeting in June in the United States, is an international award to the innovation and high quality research carried out in our country in the field of neuropharmacy and nanomedicine.
Among the participants in the awarded study are UB experts -supervised by researchers Maria Luisa García, from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences and the Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IN2UB); Antoni Camins, from the Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, the Institute of Neurosciences of the UB (UBNeuro) and the Network Center for Biomedical Research in Neurodegenerative Diseases (CIBERNED), and Carme Auladell, from the Faculty of Biology.
This study was conducted in collaboration with the experts Jaume Folch, from the Faculty of Medicine of Rovira i Virgili University, Eliana Souto (Coimbra University, Portugal), and Patric Torowski (University College London, United Kingdom).
Nanotechnology to treat neurodegenerative pathologies
Publised in March 2019, the awarded article is an approach of nanotechnology in the therapeutic field and is focused on the development of a new pharmaceutic way based on biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles for the encapsulation of green tea polyphenol (epigallocatechin gallate, EGCG). In the article, the researchers assessed the beneficial effects of the encapsulated drug in these nanoscopic spheres -that bring the drug to the place of action and release it slowly- in a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimerʼs disease.
Conclusions reveal not only the therapeutic potential of this molecule in the treatment against this neurodegenerative disease but also the significant increase of pharmacological properties brought through the developed nanovehicle. Also, these nanoparticles improve the penetration of the product through the hematoencephalic barrier and reduce its toxicity.
The awarded study by the Controlled Release Society (CRS) is framed within a research line that started with scientific publications by research teams, which confirmed the efficiency of nanoparticles as a therapeutic strategy to improve the efficiency of conventional treatments to treat neurodegenerative diseases.
Reference article:
Cano, A.; Ettcheto, M.; Chang, J.; Barroso, E.; Espina, M.; Kühne B. A.; Barenys, M.; Auladell C.; Folch, J.; Souto E. B.; Camins, A.; Turowski, P.; García. M. L. «Dual-drug loaded nanoparticles of Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) / Ascorbic acid enhance therapeutic efficacy of EGCG in a APPswe/PS1dE9 Alzheimerʼs disease mice model» . Journal of Controlled Release, 301:62-75 (2019). Doi: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2019.03.010