The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a highly selective structure that protects the brain from harmful substances but also blocks therapeutic agents from reaching brain tissue in meaningful concentrations. This project investigates focused ultrasound (FUS), a noninvasive technique that, in combination with intravenously injected microbubbles, can disrupt the BBB at a targeted site in the brain. By opening the tight junctions that compose the BBB, FUS offers a way to enhance drug delivery to specific brain regions without invasive surgery or lasting damage to the barrier’s protective function.
This project specifically focuses on evaluating whether FUS-mediated BBB opening improves the delivery of DS-7300a, an antibody-drug conjugate with applications in the treatment of solid tumors. Using a mouse model with implanted tumors, sonication is applied to a targeted brain region following administration of the drug, and tissue is subsequently harvested to quantify the brain’s uptake of the drug compared to non-sonicated tissue. This work aims to build on the foundation of FUS as a platform for delivering large, otherwise BBB-impermeant therapeutics to the brain.
Northeastern University
