Breaking the 'mucus barrier' with a new drug delivery system

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An illustrated cross-section of human mucus membrane from the stomach. Credit: Credit: Henry Grays Anatomy of the Human Body
An illustrated cross-section of human mucus membrane from the stomach. Credit: Credit: Henry Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body
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Chemical engineers from Johns Hopkins University have broken the "mucus barrier," engineering the first drug-delivery particles capable of passing through human mucus — regarded by many as nearly impenetrable — and carrying medication that could treat a range of diseases. Those conditions include lung cancer, cervical cancer and cystic fibrosis, the research noted in a presentation scheduled for the 236th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society.


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