Abraxis is involved in discovery, research, and development of new and innovative products that improve the lives of patients. Many areas are being explored including cancer, heart disease, and blood vessel disease. Additionally, innovative ways are being pioneered to make drugs that are easier to deliver to patients.

New Technology for Safer, More Effective Drug Delivery
Until now, many drugs are mixed with other chemicals (solvents) to help dissolve drugs in fluids prior to administration. These chemicals can cause additional side effects aside from the drugs' side effects.

Abraxis Protosphere™ is a new way to make drugs so that they are easier to deliver to patients. Drugs are made into very small particles using a science called nanotechnology. Rather than using chemicals to dissolve drugs in water (solvents), Abraxis combines drugs with proteins found naturally within the body and manufactures them into very small particles or nanoparticles. Nanoparticle drugs attached to proteins are more easily given to patients.

When albumin is the protein used in the ProtoSphere™ technology, the process is referred to as the nanoparticle albumin-bound or nab™ technology. The diagram shows the active drug surrounded by albumin.

Tumors require a lot of nutrients to grow, and tumors get these nutrients in the same way growing cells do. The nutrients are carried in the blood, often attached to albumin, one of the most common proteins in the body. Albumin acts as a transport for nutrients, and enters cells easily. When chemotherapy drugs are prepared as nanoparticles with albumin, the drug is surrounded by albumin. The drug is now invisible to tumor cells. Albumin, attached to the chemotherapy, is then transported into the tumor cell and delivers the chemotherapy where it can work against the tumor.