Scientists at the Scripps Research Institute in the US have developed a new imaging technique called vCATCH. This technology allows the journey of a drug through the body to be monitored at the individual cell level.

How the drug works in the body

After a drug is taken into the body, where it goes, and which organs and cells it affects, has been a major challenge for medical science. Scientists have typically been able to determine which organ the drug reaches, but it's unclear which cells within that organ it binds to. Now, a new technology has emerged that unlocks this black box. Let us explain step-by-step how drugs are released into the body and how doctors can now monitor their dissolution step-by-step. Scientists at the Scripps Research Institute in the US have developed a new imaging technique called vCATCH. This technology allows

the drug

's journey through the body to be observed at the individual cell level. This means that where the drug is sticking and affecting a cell will be more clearly visible than ever before. Previous methods could measure the amount of the drug, but it was difficult to determine which specific cells the drug was binding to. Sometimes, drugs affect areas where they shouldn't. Older methods were weak in detecting these unwanted effects.

How does vCATCH work?

In vCATCH, the labels are attached to a specific chemical tag. A technique called click chemistry then illuminates the drug's binding sites with fluorescent markers. This allows the drug's path and its effects to be clearly visualized throughout the organ. This technique was tested on mice with two cancer drugs, ibrutinib and afatinib. Research revealed that ibrutinib binds not only to its intended target but also to cells in the heart and blood vessels. Scientists believe this may be the reason why this drug causes heart-related problems in some patients. It

Will help in understanding the side effects of drugs.

With the help of vCATCH, it will now be easier to understand why a drug causes side effects. Doctors and researchers will be able to see where drugs are having unwanted effects and tailor them to be safer. Scientists say this technology will make testing new drugs more accurate. Especially, before bringing drugs in the late stages to market, it will be possible to see if they are hitting the right target. This will help make treatments safer and more effective.