A molecular ZIP code sends medicine exactly where it is needed

At Northeastern University, researchers have built tiny polymer carriers whose chemical 'ZIP code' decides which organ a medicine travels to. In mice, a spleen-targeted carrier delivered an inflammation-blocking treatment at levels about 2,500 times higher than the drug given alone — and a single dose kept arthritis from taking hold for the full 45-day study. The work, published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, could one day sharpen treatments for genetic skin and muscle diseases too.

SDG 3 · Good health and well-being — Mechanism: tech innovation