Study on Magnetic Drug Delivery System Using HTS Bulk Magnet

In this report, MDDS (Magnetic Drug Delivery System) which is a technology to control the drugs kinetics from outside the body by the magnetic field of a HTS (high temperature superconducting) bulk magnet was investigated. Liposome composed of phospholipid bilayer membrane was used as a drug carrier, in which the ferromagnetic particle and the model drug were encapsulated together. The liposomes with magnetism (magnetite-liposomes) were injected into the blood vessel, and then accumulated locally to the affected area by the strong external magnetic field generated by HTS bulk magnet. To determine the appropriate diameter of liposomes and the number of encapsulated ferromagnetic particles which can be controlled by external magnetic force, accumulation of magnet-liposome in the blood vessel was investigated with the particle trajectories simulation. Based on the result of simulation, an experimental accumulation and controlled release with simulated organ was conducted. As a result, accumulation of magnet-liposome in the simulated organ was observed, and the validity of the simulation result was confirmed.