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Nanotech Liposomes Boost Antifungal Drug Power, Say Researchers

Nanotechnology

Business Honor
14 May, 2025

Brown University engineers develop targeted nanotech liposomes to significantly enhance antifungal drug effectiveness.

Brown University engineers have created a nanotechnology based method that holds promise for greatly improving the treatment of fungal infections, especially those caused by drug-resistant Candida species. In a recent study, scientists showed how liposome—small lipid based nanoparticles may be designed to attack fungal cells specifically, making antifungal medications more effective without affecting healthy human cells.

"Fungal infections can be very challenging to treat and the medications available to physicians are limited. By attaching a targeting peptide to the surface of liposomes, we can target the delivery of an anti-fungal medicine more effectively to fungal cells, and enhance its killing ability of the cells," noted Veronica LaMastro, Ph.D. graduate and senior author of the study.

The team centered on Candida auris, a very drug-resistant fungus that has quickly become a significant health threat. From 2017 to 2018, infections in the United States increased by over 300%.

To counteract this, scientists employed liposomes nanospheres of natural and synthetic lipids that encapsulate drugs within or on their surfaces. They improved them by incorporating a peptide termed penetratin, which has a natural affinity for Candida cells. This development transformed liposomes into targeted drug-delivery vehicles for antifungal agents such as posaconazole, an FDA-approved drug.

In lab tests, the targeted liposomes bound better to fungal cells and dramatically enhanced the drug's efficacy—sometimes lowering the required dose by as much as eightfold. Against fungal biofilms, they were more than 1,300 times more potent than the free drug.

Notably, the liposomes were harmless to human cells, and in mice models, decreased the fungal load by 60% compared to conventional treatments.

Fungal infections are a massively under-researched field," Professor Anita Shukla said. The researchers hope to extend the testing for the treatment of established infection, targeting greater clinical benefit.