Current chemotherapy dosing methods, which rely on a formula based on height and weight, fail to account for individual variations in drug metabolism, genetic makeup, and other factors. This can result in patients receiving either too much or too little of a drug, leading to avoidable toxicity or insufficient benefit. To address this issue, MIT engineers have developed an alternative approach, called CLAUDIA (Closed-Loop Automated Drug Infusion Regulator), which personalizes the dose to the patient based on real-time measurements of drug concentration in the system. This closed-loop system compensates for differences in drug metabolism, genetic makeup, and other factors, potentially improving safety and efficacy. CLAUDIA uses commercially available equipment to continuously monitor drug concentrations and automatically adjust the infusion rate to keep the dose within the target range. In tests in animals, CLAUDIA was able to keep the amount of drug circulating in the body within the target range significantly more often than traditional dosing methods. The researchers plan to further automate the system and adapt it to a wider range of drugs, potentially revolutionizing the personalization of chemotherapy dosing.
Personalized Chemotherapy Dosing: MIT Engineers Develop Advanced System
