Nanotherapy: Gold-drug combo could target tumors

Looking for a way to deliver a chemotherapy drug to cancer patients more safely and effectively, a team of chemists has attached dozens of paclitaxel (Taxol) molecules to tiny gold particles that could carry the drug directly to a tumor in the body.

GOLDEN COMBO. When injected into the bloodstream, a gold nanoparticle (center) coated with dozens of paclitaxel molecules could deliver the chemotherapy drug straight to a tumor.