UCL research team breakthrough in delivering drugs to the brain
8 March 2013

http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-artic...rebreakthrough

Researchers at UCL have made a breakthrough in the way that drugs could be delivered to the brain.

Ijeoma F. Uchegbu, Mariarosa Mazza, Andreas G. Schätzlein and their colleagues have tackled the difficult problem of constructing drugs which are able to pass through the blood-brain barrier – a mechanism which prevents many chemicals in the bloodstream from passing into the brain, including synthetic compounds administered as medication as well as harmful environmental toxins.


A new class of drugs – peptide drugs – are now at the forefront of tackling this problem, which, if solved, could revolutionise delivery of pain relief as well as offer hope in treating neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases. Enabling such drugs to cross the blood-brain barrier is key to revolutionising the treatment of these conditions...

I am confused. again.
Is this the same as this?
http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread184739-2.html
MS but not PD?
Is UCL same as U. of London?

Hi Bob,
I believe these are two separate studies.
UCL is a research arm of the U of London, UCL.
This study, that Olsen is referencing, is about the kind of "piggy-backing" a medication with a substance that can pass the BBB- in this case a peptide.
The previous study was about attempting to maintain the integrity of the BBB
against the onslaught of MS and other neurodegenerative problems which break it down.
At least, that is how I interpreted the two studies.

Well that's the best thing I have heard since the cops let me off with a warning.
If this is really happening, it would be spectacular to get through The Barrier, and we should cheerlead for it; write to them asking for all updates, show our thanks and support.
... if it appears to be real, there should be pressure made to apply the resources needed, to speed it up.
If it is real, it for sure picks up a Nobel Prize

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My fault I think. I always knew about the two parallel approaches, but never realised that was causing confusion. In some ways, I felt it was contradictory. One group trying to open up the BBB to get drugs in. Another group trying to shut it down to keep toxins out.
However, The group trying to open it up to get drugs in, will limit the open period time. There will not be a lot of toxins going in, since they are likely to be larger molecules than the drugs.
I have written to Dr Egle Solito, and received a very pleasant and s upportive reply. so I have an idea!! How about I write her inviting her to post an appraisal of my paper, and the chances of success by this route.
If she does not want the hassle of joining, she can send it to me to post.
This may take some time so please be patient. However I think this is the best candidate we have had for a very long time, and have spent 35 years in chemical research.

Ron

Please do so Ron

I'm one of the authors of that paper (I did some of the multiphoton microscopy imaging for it) so if you have any questions I could help with, let me know!

when will the first human pd clinical trials be conducted using this method?