Carbon nanotubes as a novel drug delivery system for anticancer therapy: a review

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were discovered in 1991 and shown to have certain unique physicochemical properties, attracting considerable interest in their application in various fields including drug delivery. The unique properties of CNTs such as ease of cellular uptake, high drug loading, thermal ablation, among others, render them useful for cancer therapy. Cancer is one of the most challenging diseases of modern times because its therapy involves distinguishing normal healthy cells from affected cells. Here, CNTs play a major role because phenomena such as EPR, allow CNTs to distinguish normal cells from affected ones, the Holy Grail in cancer therapy. Considerable work has been done on CNTs as drug delivery systems over the last two decades. However, concerns over certain issues such as biocompatibility and toxicity have been raised and warrant extensive research in this field.

Os nanotubos de carbono foram descobertos em 1991 e suas propriedades físico-químicas únicas demonstradas, despertando interesse em sua aplicação em vários campos, incluindo a entrega liberação de fármacos. As propriedades únicas dos nanotubos de carbono, tais como a facilidade de captação pela célula, carga alta de fármaco, ablação térmica, entre outras, tornaram-nos úteis para terapia de câncer, uma das doenças mais difíceis dos tempos modernos, pois sua terapia envolve a distinção entre as células normais saudáveis e as afetadas pela doença. Os nanotubos de carbono têm um papel importante nessa área porque fenômenos como EPR permitem que estes possam distinguir as células normais das afetadas, que é o Santo Graal na terapia do câncer. Trabalho considerável tem sido feito ao longo das duas últimas década com nanotubos de carbono, como sistemas de liberação de fármacos. No entanto, preocupações sobre algumas questões, como biocompatibilidade e toxicidade, surgiram ao longo do tempo, demandando extensas pesquisa nesse campo.

Advances in nasal trans-mucosal drug delivery.

Transmucosal nasal delivery is a promising drug delivery option where common drug administrations, such as intravenous, intramuscular, or oral are inapplicable. Recently, it has been shown that many drugs have better bioavailability by nasal route than the oral route. This has been attributed to rich vasculature and a highly permeable structure of the nasal mucosa coupled with avoidance of hepatic first-pass elimination, gut wall metabolism and/or destruction in the gastrointestinal tract. The physiology of the nose presents obstacles, but offers a promising route for non-invasive systemic delivery of numerous therapies and debatably drug delivery route to the brain. Intranasal microemulsions, gels and microspheres have gained increased interest in recent years as a delivery system for protein and peptides through the nasal route. Thus this review focuses on nasal drug delivery, various aspects of nasal anatomy and physiology, nasal drug absorption mechanisms, various nasal drug delivery systems, and their applications in drug delivery.

An overview on: trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights.

The World Trade Organisation’s (WTO) Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) substantially changed the international intellectual property regime by introducing the principle of minimum intellectual property standards. In effect, this principle means that any intellectual property agreement negotiated subsequent to TRIPS among and/or involving WTO members can only create higher standards – commonly known as “TRIPS plus”. The TRIPS-plus concept covers both those activities aimed at increasing the level of protection for right holders beyond that which is given in the TRIPS Agreement and those measures aimed at reducing the scope or effectiveness of limitations on rights and exceptions. Such intellectual property rules and practices have the effect of reducing the ability of developing countries to protect the public interest and may be adopted at the multilateral, plurilateral, regional and/or national level. The TRIPS Agreement addresses a wide range of intellectual property subject matter areas (copyright, trademark, patent, and so forth). It also covers competitive markets, enforcement measures, dispute settlement, and transitional arrangements. This Module provides an introduction to these various aspects of the TRIPS Agreement, and seeks to focus on the kinds of questions that should be asked when approaching dispute settlement. In some areas, the questions are answered, but the entire field of intellectual property rights protection, including enforcement measures, cannot be covered in a single Module or short course. Moreover, the questions will change along with the technologies that form the subject matter of intellectual property rights protection. The objective of this Module is to provide sufficient background so that as specific issues arise, the diplomat or lawyer understands how to approach them.