Could a Newly Developed Plant Virus-Based System Treat Lymphoma?

One of the newer and most exciting treatments for NHL currently being developed is drug administration via a plant based virus. A study recently published in Experimental Biology and Medicine in August 2014 and led by Dr. Nicole Steinmetz examined a method of using a plant virus delivery system for a chemotherapy drug.

Researchers are eager to find an alternative to traditional chemotherapy treatment given the extremely unpleasant side effects associated with it. Because of this, researchers have been working on developing nanocarriers to deliver the chemotherapy drugs with fewer side effects. Not only does targeted drug delivery reduce negative side effects, but it also improves accuracy of the drug delivery. So, this form of treatment will potentially only kill off cancer cells rather than all cells, healthy ones included. However, due to the spherical shape of many nanocarriers, their function can be limited.