MIT researchers have designed an implant intended to improve drug delivery following surgery for glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer that frequently recurs because surgeons cannot remove every malignant cell. Called LUCID, the device could gradually release treatment near the surgical site, with ultrasound helping it reach a larger area of surrounding tissue.
As thin as cardstock, the flexible implant integrates a 3D-printed drug-delivery cannula with an array of 24 miniature ultrasound transducers. A reservoir holds about 100 microliters of fluid, supplied through a passive osmotic pump. Ultrasound is programmable through Bluetooth, and the small onboard battery can be recharged wirelessly.
The approach addresses both delivery and distribution. Ultrasound generates flows that carry molecules farther through tissue, while its mechanical oscillations can temporarily increase the permeability of the blood-brain barrier. Unlike existing implanted wafers and hydrogels that rely on passive diffusion, LUCID was designed to provide greater control over treatment delivery.
In a gel engineered to mimic human tissue, ultrasound increased the distance drug molecules traveled. Mouse experiments using an MRI contrast agent also showed wider distribution when the ultrasound array was activated. The findings were published in Device; Sarah Ornellas and Jason Hou were the study's lead authors, with Canan Dagdeviren as senior author.
For potential patient use, the researchers propose positioning the cannula and ultrasound array within the skull and keeping the battery and electronics outside. Beyond conventional drugs, the researchers envision delivering immunotherapies or gene therapies, with potential applications in other organs.
