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Even at doses 30 times lower than what was previously required, the therapy eased symptoms and did not cause harmful reactions.
By Shula Rosen
Scientists at Tel Aviv University say they have discovered a safer, more effective way to treat chronic bowel diseases such as Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, conditions that affect millions worldwide.
The method uses a type of genetic material called locked nucleic acids, or LNAs, which are known for their strength and stability.
In the past, these molecules showed promise but required massive doses to work. Those high doses caused dangerous side effects and made the treatment too expensive, leading many experts to give up on the idea.
Now, researchers led by Prof. Dan Peer have found a way to make LNAs work using far smaller amounts.
They packaged the molecules inside tiny fat bubbles, called lipid nanoparticles, that can deliver the treatment directly to diseased tissue.
This targeted approach allows the drug to do its job without spreading through the rest of the body.
In tests on mice with severe bowel inflammation, the treatment sharply reduced signs of disease.
Even at doses 30 times lower than what was previously required, the therapy eased symptoms and did not cause harmful reactions.
“Our study shows that LNA can be revived as a treatment option if it is delivered in the right way,” Peer said in a press release. “We hope this will lead not only to new options for patients with inflammatory bowel disease, but also to treatments for many other conditions, including heart problems and neurological disorders like Parkinson’s.”
The work was carried out by doctoral student Shahd Qassem and postdoctoral fellow Dr. Gonna Somu Naidu, with support from Switzerland’s Roche pharmaceutical company. The findings were recently published in the scientific journal Nature Communications.
While the research is still at the animal-testing stage, the Tel Aviv team hopes to move forward to human trials. If successful, the approach could give patients new hope for relief from painful, long-lasting diseases that until now have been difficult to treat safely.
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