Stanford Team Develops Method to Turn Long IV Drips into Quick Injections

Stanford Team Develops Method to Turn Long IV Drips into Quick Injections
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Researchers at Stanford University have created a new technology that could transform drugs requiring lengthy intravenous infusions into quick injections deliverable in seconds, medical outlets reported. The approach may allow patients to administer treatments such as cancer and autoimmune therapies at home using standard syringes or autoinjectors.

Biologic drugs, including antibodies, usually require dilution in large fluid volumes because proteins remain stable only at low concentrations, making long IV drips necessary. To overcome this, the team developed a method for encapsulating proteins with a material called “Muni,” which coats protein particles in a glassy layer that prevents them from dissolving or clumping.

The technique was tested on albumin, human immunoglobulin, and a monoclonal antibody for COVID-19, successfully producing injectables at more than twice the usual protein concentration. Lead researcher Eric Abel said the method could work with a wide range of biologics, shifting hours-long clinical treatments into simple at-home injections.