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Thursday, 12th June 2008 (6427 views)

A new nanoparticle has been developed at the University of Colorado and UNC-Chapel Hill's microbiology department, according to university newspaper the Technician.

The HIV drug was previously rejected as it contained an ammonium salt which caused inflammation on the skin when injected.

The addition of gold to the drug now prevents "the particle from reacting with the wrong cells in the body".

Christian Melander, assistant professor of chemistry, said: "We've known about [gold] for a few thousand years. It is non-toxic and the body completely ignores it."

The drug, called SDC-1721, has so far only been tested in laboratory conditions.

Meanwhile, the use of gold nanoparticles has recently been discovered to help treat tumours, according to medical news website News-Medical.Net.

Research announced by the University of Texas in May found that by first treating tumours with gold nanoparticles, radiation therapy had a much bigger impact on tumours.

 

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