Using lipids derived from grapefruits, researchers at the University of Louisville have created nanoparticles for drug delivery that are less toxic to both people and the environment and may offer a less expensive alternative to synthetic materials. The grapefruit-derived nanovectors can carry various therapeutic agents, DNA, RNA and proteins such as antibodies, as shown by the researchers in a paper in Nature Communications, and are currently undergoing a Phase I clinical trial to treat colon cancer with oral delivery. The scientists also hope to use the nanoparticles to treat autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. Article | Phys.org story