New Mineral Coating for Protein-Based Drugs
Thursday, July 6th, 2017 -- 8:05 AM
(AP) -Scientists at a Wisconsin university have created a mineral coating that mimics bone and keeps protein-based drugs more stable.The Wisconsin State Journal reports protein-based drugs are used to treat bone disorders, kidney disease, wounds, arthritis and cancer but frequently degrade, which limits their therapeutic potential. University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists were inspired by a 2010 report about DNA extracted from a 19,000-year-old emu shell to use growth factors to improve proteins used in medical applications.
A mineral coating is constructed at the miniature level of biology known as the nanoscale. The coating releases a protein, called basic fibroblast growth factor, which remained active for more than a month in a lab dish. When the protein is released through a commonly used polymer system, it stayed active for less than a week.
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