SMARTTECH: Honey, I shrunk the drugs
While nanomedicine is on the small side, it promises to be big business. Estimates suggest the market could grow to $130.9 billion by next year. One of the most recent developments are targeted nanomedicines, which specifically target cancer cells and HIV for example, but leave healthy cells intact. In addition, nanomedicine also promises early diagnosis and disease prevention.
Pharma companies are jumping on board. Amgen, AstraZeneca, Merck, Pfizer and Roche are just a few that have pursued nanomedicine. However, there are a few challenges that this technology needs to overcome. Nanomedicine needs to be reproducible over time and at a scale to serve the marketplace. These medicines also need to become more cost-effective at scale. Ultimately, the future is bright for nanomedicines, which also promises to open the way to personalized medicine.
