Abstract
Drug-loaded perfluorocarbon nanoemulsions have been utilized for targeted drug release, mostly in the context of cancer therapies, and usually relying upon tissue uptake of the nanoparticles prior to drug release. To apply this system for brain drug delivery, we have stabilized these nanoemulsions and have shown that they may be effectively uncaged while circulating in the intravascular blood volume, with the drug having its effect only when and where focused ultrasound has been applied. We have shown that this system works for a wide variety of drugs. We are now working towards clinical translation of two particular instances of this technology, one with the nanoemulsion loaded with the anesthetic propofol, and a second with the nanoemulsion loaded with the psychedelic, antidepressant, and anesthetic ketamine.
