MRI-Compatible CED Drug Delivery to Treat and Monitor Brain Diseases including GBM

Unmet Need: Convection-enhanced delivery (CED) is a direct medicine delivery technique that has shown great promise to effectively deliver drugs across the blood brain barrier (BBB) to treat glioblastoma (GBM) and other neurological diseases. However, there still is an urgent need to adapting CED to allow for chronic out-patient use that avoids external connections traversing the scalp/skull and in exchange, is completely internalized. 

Technology Overview: Johns Hopkins researchers have developed a novel magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-compatible CED cranial implant devices for drug delivery directly into the CNS and imaging-based treatment monitoring. Implanted devices mat remain in place for indefinite durations and are refilled using percutaneous needles, thereby minimizing risk of infection by having catheters exiting the scalp. Anatomically-compatible device shapes avoid scalp or brain impingement as well as scalp deformities and accompanying social stigmata. Furthermore, embedded imaging devices allow providing image data to monitor and optimize treatment plans for improved patient outcome. The devices can be standardized, or can be uniquely customized for reconstruction in the case of cranioplasty.

Advantages include:

·      Suitable for long-term, chronic drug delivery directly to the CNS

·      MRI-compatible for treatment monitoring and guidance

·      Non-detectable upon implantation due to anatomically compatible device shapes

·      Optionally off-the shelf or customizable for intraoperative use in neurosurgery

Stage of Development

The inventors have developed a functional prototype and are in the process of a conducting a large-animal translational study for safety and efficacy.

Publications

Vogelbaum MA, et al. Neuro Oncol. 2015;17(2):3-8.

Zhong S, et al. Neurosurgery 2015;11:220-229.