Bio-Medical Ferrofluids

Ideal for Bio-medical Applications Due to Superior Particle Distribution

Current research in the area of diagnostic tests and experimental therapies for malignant masses (plus an assortment of other lesions) often requires magnetic nanoparticles for success. For some applications, one approach for using Ferromagnetic materials is to combine the particles with a liquid monomer to create a polymer with magnetic properties (i.e. magnetic plastic). This polymer can then be shaped and/or treated in some other way to make it useful in these applications. Often, the magnetic polymers are shaped into micro-beads which are subsequently coated with bio-active materials. Depending on the purpose the beads, or micro-spheres, can be coated with antibodies, DNA or other biologically active material and then used in the diagnostic process (immunoassay or molecular diagnostics—separation and amplification). For these types of applications, the micro-bead process is essential because it enables researchers to coat or treat the particles and use them in more advanced processes than they could with basic ferrofluid alone.

The other area of use for magnetic nanoparticles is their site-specific delivery to the site of concern for hyperthermia therapy. Solutions containing magnetic particles are injected into a biological system, then using powerful electromagnets they are guided to the site of a tumor or lesion. Due to their small size, these particles can infiltrate into areas that are inaccessible to larger entities, and because they are following a magnetic gradient, they do not experience the issues of interstitial pressure that may impede intravenous drug delivery. Once concentrated in the appropriate region, the magnetic field is increased, to create a strong excitation of the particles. This excitation creates a great deal of heat, and serves to raise the internal temperature of the lesion, effectively killing the targeted cells while doing little or no damage to surrounding tissues. This process may or may not utilize a drug coated material.

Please note that Ferrotec Ferrofluids are not FDA approved for in-vivo human testing or therapeutic applications. The use of Ferrotec particles and fluids, at our stage of processing, is only recommended for research purposes.

Drawing on a base of over 30 years experience in producing ferrofluids, Ferrotec magnetic nanoparticle products bring a unique offering to bead manufacturers and research scientists—a wide variety of ferrofluids and dry particles with a variety of performance characteristics that can be optimized for a specific assays or diagnostic processes.

Ferrotec ferrofluids are ideal for a wide variety of bio-medical tests due to their superior particle distribution. The absence of agglomerates lends itself to more consistent performance with smaller bead configurations, plus the small (10 nm nominal) particle size can increase the reaction surface are of micro-beads, increasing the beads’ performance. Please contact us for more information.