Johnson and Johnson: Not just baby powder

When I think of Johnson and Johnson, I think of bandaids and baby powder, but the company made headlines today for having a better than expected quarter and providing a ray of hope for those investing in biotech during these tough times. So I did a little investigating to see what other products this huge corporation makes. JnJ has over 250 operations in 57 countries. The company makes, not only the consumer products I am familiar with, but pharmaceuticals, diagnostics and medical devices. There are just too many products to mention here today, but listed among their recent products is one very interesting example of nanotechnology for treatment of ovarian cancer. The product is called Doxil and it consists of the already established drug doxorubicin encapsulated in a bubble of fats called a liposome, which is then coated by a layer of rubber (methoxypolyethylene glycol). The drug is given intravenously and is at least 90% protected in the blood by its capsule. This allows time for the nanoparticle to reach the ovaries before too much drug has leaked out, optimizing the dose that reaches the target tissue.