Advances in nanotechnology towards targeted treatment of obesity

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Nicole Remaliah Samantha Sibuyi, Mervin Meyer and Abram Madiehe

University of Western Cape, South Africa

: J Clin Exp Oncol

Abstract

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The global epidemic of obesity poses a serious health
concern due to its association with chronic diseases, such
as type 2 diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases. These
diseases are further associated with reduced quality of life and
life expectancy, and contribute to high mortality rates. Obesity
management primarily relies on pharmacotherapy to maintain
a healthy body weight and prevent its progression to chronic
diseases. However, the usefulness of anti-obesity drugs is
limited due to poor efficacy, non-specificity and bystander
effects. Therefore, novel approaches that could provide
insights on obesity and obesity-associated diseases, as well
as development of novel anti-obesity treatment modalities
or improvement on the existing drugs are required. Targeted
nanotherapy potentially provides a fresh perspective that might
be able to overcome drawbacks associated with conventional
therapies. Independent studies have shown improved drug
efficacy by using vascular-targeted therapy in diet-induced
obesity models. These nanotherapeutics increased the efficacy
and half-life of the therapy, and reduced the biodegradation
and early drug clearance. Various nanocarriers (liposomes and
gold nanoparticles) demonstrated enhanced treatment effects
at lower dosage, reduced side effects, restoration of metabolic
activity, and tolerability. These effects were reproducible
in rodent and non-human primate obesity models, thus
providing a proof of concept that targeted nanotherapy can be
a feasible treatment for human obesity.

Biography

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Nicole Remaliah Samantha Sibuyi is a Postdoctoral researcher at the University of Western Cape, South Africa. Her research interests are on development of targeted nanotherapy for cancer and obesity.

E-mail: nsibuyi@uwc.ac.za