A team of scientists directed a swarm of swimming microbots into the lungs of mice to kill the pneumonia microbes. The result gives hope that a similar treatment could be developed to treat deadly bacterial pneumonia in humans.
I microbots they are made of algae cells and covered with a layer of antibiotic nanoparticles. The key to this pneumonia treatment's effectiveness lies in the algae, which provides movement through the lungs.
In the experiments, infections in the mice treated with the microbots resolved, while the untreated mice all died within three days.
The technology is still in a proof-of-concept phase, but the first signs are exceptional.
Microbot against pneumonia, the power of algae
“Based on mouse data, microrobots could improve the penetration of antibiotics that kill pathogenic organisms and save the lives of more patients,” he says Victor Nizet, physician and professor of pediatrics at the University of California, San Diego.
The nanoparticles on algae cells are made up of tiny polymer spheres coated with the membranes of neutrophils, a type of white blood cell. These membranes neutralize the inflammatory molecules produced by the bacteria and the body's immune system, and then they dissolve naturally.
In essence, pneumonia microbots have delivered treatment exactly where it was needed, with accuracy beyond all expectations.
Pneumonia, the coup de grace
In humans, pneumonia caused by bacteria pseudomonas aeruginosa occurs when ICU patients have been given a mechanical ventilator. As we noted during the first Covid wave, this type of infection is often determined in the prolongation of the hospital stay and unfortunately in the death of the patient.
The researchers are confident that this new, simple-to-administer method (a tube in the trachea was enough for mice) can also be applied to humans.
Super efficient
To give you a measure of the effectiveness of this treatment, the researchers estimated the microbots' ability to deliver a dose of antibiotic equivalent to that of 3000 intravenous injections. The study was published on Nature Materials, and as always I link it here.
If they prove to be safe for the human body (obviously time and prudence are needed to establish this), the targeted administration of drugs through these "algae" microbots will revolutionize our therapeutic methods.
Next steps
Now the team will do further research into how the microbots interact with the immune system. Tests will follow on larger animals, and finally on humans.
Delivering drugs in decisive and targeted doses to the most difficult points of the body. And do it in an easy, safe and biocompatible way.
Mission possible.
