Novel molecular shuttle could expand delivery of medicines across the blood–brain barrier

The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a protective filter that lines the brain's blood vessels and is notoriously hard to penetrate, making the treatment of brain disorders very difficult. Strategies designed to breach the BBB include using brain surgery and focused ultrasound waves to create physical openings for the transportation of medicines and employing engineered adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) to ferry genetic payloads into desired locations, but these methods have limitations. Now, researchers at Caltech have developed a new, more effective way to transport potentially life-changing therapeutics across the BBB.