TheraSonic is leveraging ultrasound technology to improve the treatment of brain diseases and in particular brain cancers. Discover the physiological properties of the blood vessels in the brain, how they can limit the delivery of pharmacological treatment and how we are addressing this challenge to improve the lives of millions of patients.
The challenge of the blood-brain barrier
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a protective layer of tightly joined cells that lines the blood vessels in the brain. It prevents harmful substances, such as toxins and infectious agents, from diffusing into the surrounding brain tissue.
However, this barrier also limits the amount of medication that can reach diseased brain targets, which is a significant challenge for treating a wide range of neurologic conditions, including brain tumors, neurodegenerative disease, and epilepsy.
Focused Ultrasound: A Key to the Blood-Brain Barrier
Focused ultrasound has been shown to disrupt the BBB in a noninvasive, safe, and targeted manner. The mechanical effects of focused ultrasound, namely cavitation, is the principle cause behind this BBB disruption. Small bubbles used as a contrast agent during ultrasound imaging procedures are injected into the bloodstream during the focused ultrasound procedure. These bubbles, called microbubbles, oscillate in the vessels and force apart the tight junctions. This method of BBB disruption – focused ultrasound with microbubbles – has had very promising results.
A New Horizon in Neurological Treatments
Temporary disruption of the blood-brain barrier in a safe and targeted manner with focused ultrasound unlocks a vast array of potential treatments.
Various therapeutic drugs and molecules, including gene therapies, can be delivered for the treatment of depression, Parkinson’s disease, and Huntington’s disease among many other neurological disorders. This technique is being tested clinically for the treatment of various brain tumors, ALS, and Alzheimer’s disease.
The safety and feasibility of using focused ultrasound BBB disruption (FUS-BBBD) has been established for different devices, repeated sessions, and different chemotherapies in patients with newly diagnosed GBM, recurrent GBM, and high-grade gliomas.