Nanoparticles New Weapon Against Heart Disease?

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American scientists say their creation of nanoparticles that can find and treat hardened arteries may offer a new way to fight heart disease.

The "nanoburrs," as they are called, look for damaged cells in blood vessel walls. They then attach to the site and release drugs for an extended period, said the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) team, BBC News reported.

"This is a very exciting example of nanotechnology and cell targeting in action," said Professor Robert Langer, one of the study authors. The research is published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

This technology appears "promising," but requires much more work before it might be used to treat people, Professor Peter Weissberg, medical director of the British Heart Foundation, told BBC News.