Medicine and health
Many medicines work better when they are carried inside particles a few hundred times smaller than a cell: the particle protects the drug, gets it into the right cells, and keeps more of it away from healthy tissue. The same tiny scale lets tests find a virus or a protein in a single drop.
12 technologies tracked here, by how far each has got.
From lab to your life
Where each one stands
Every technology sits on the step its dated, sourced milestones support, never where its makers hope it will be. Open one to see why it's there.
- 5Everyday lifeIt is probably already in your life.
- Gold nanoparticle rapid testsHome testHome pregnancy tests and COVID-19 rapid tests are lateral flow tests: the sample soaks along a strip.The UK government said more than 2 billion lateral flow tests had been provided across the UK since 2020.
- mRNA vaccines in lipid nanoparticlesVaccine carrierThe COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna carry messenger RNA, instructions that get cells to make a copy of one virus protein so the immune system learns to recognize it.The FDA fully approved the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, now sold as Comirnaty: the first COVID-19 vaccine to get full approval. Its review…
- 4Approved or on saleYou can get it now, though it may not be common yet.
- Albumin-bound paclitaxel (Abraxane)Cancer drug in protein nanoparticlesAbraxane is the cancer drug paclitaxel bound to albumin, a human blood protein, in the form of nanoparticles.The FDA approved Abraxane for breast cancer that has spread, the first of a new class of albumin-bound nanoparticle drugs.
- Ferumoxytol (Feraheme)Iron oxide nanoparticle medicineFeraheme is an iron replacement given into a vein to adults with iron deficiency anemia.AMAG said the FDA had approved Feraheme for all eligible adults with iron deficiency anemia, not only those with kidney disease.
- Hafnium oxide nanoparticles for radiotherapy (NBTXR3)Radiotherapy boosterNBTXR3 is a liquid of hafnium oxide nanoparticles injected once into a tumor before radiotherapy.Nanobiotix reported that the FDA had cleared changes to the Johnson & Johnson-led phase 3 trial in head and neck cancer, NANORAY-312, so…
- Liposomal doxorubicin (Doxil)Cancer drug carrierDoxil was the first nanomedicine approved in the US, in 1995.The FDA approved the first generic version of Doxil, which was on its drug shortage list, to help relieve shortages of the brand-name…
- Nanopore DNA sequencingDNA readerA nanopore sequencer reads DNA or RNA by feeding a single strand through a protein pore set in a membrane with an electric current across it.A UK and Brazil team used the handheld MinION to sequence the Zika virus directly from patient samples during the outbreak.
- Patisiran (Onpattro)RNA medicine carrierOnpattro treats nerve damage caused by a rare inherited disease, hereditary ATTR amyloidosis.The FDA approved Onpattro, a first-of-its-kind RNA-based medicine, for nerve damage caused by hereditary ATTR amyloidosis in adults.
- 3Real-world testingCould reach you in a few years if the tests go well.
- Gene editing delivered by lipid nanoparticlesGene editing carrierThe same lipid nanoparticles that carry mRNA vaccines can carry gene-editing tools to the liver.The FDA lifted the hold on MAGNITUDE-2, the trial in the nerve form of the disease, with closer monitoring of liver tests. The hold on the…
- Personalized mRNA cancer vaccine (intismeran autogene)Cancer vaccineEach course is made for one patient.Full results from 1,137 patients, presented at the ESMO Congress in Madrid: adding the vaccine to Keytruda cut the risk of recurrence or…
- 2Working prototypeStill years away; many prototypes stall here.
- DNA nanorobots for cancerDrug-delivering robotA sheet of DNA origami rolled into a tube carries a blood-clotting enzyme.Researchers at Arizona State University and China's National Center for Nanoscience and Technology reported in Nature Biotechnology that…
- Magnetic microrobots for drug deliveryDrug-delivering robotA tiny gel capsule loaded with medicine and iron oxide nanoparticles is steered through blood vessels with magnets.ETH Zurich researchers reported in Science that they steered drug-carrying microrobots through the blood vessels of pigs and the brain…
- 1Lab discoveryUsually 10 years or more from products, and most never get there.
- Nothing we track here is at this step yet.
On the record
The latest steps
The most recent dated events for everything in this topic, newest first, each with its source.
- Human trial
mRNA cancer vaccine
Full results from 1,137 patients, presented at the ESMO Congress in Madrid: adding the vaccine to Keytruda cut the risk of recurrence or death by 42%.
“I’m genuinely excited about the results, and it is important to understand this is more than just a new drug.”Patrick Ott, Clinical director of the Melanoma Disease Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Healio, 23 Oct 2026 - Human trialCompany-reported
NBTXR3
Nanobiotix reported that the FDA had cleared changes to the Johnson & Johnson-led phase 3 trial in head and neck cancer, NANORAY-312, so that its final analysis can come sooner.
Nanobiotix, 24 Sept 2026 - Human trialCompany-reported
mRNA cancer vaccine
Merck and Moderna said their phase 3 trial in people whose high-risk melanoma had been removed met its main goal: with Keytruda, the vaccine lowered the risk of the cancer returning.
The ASCO Post, 21 Aug 2026 - Human trial
In-body gene editing
The FDA lifted the hold on MAGNITUDE-2, the trial in the nerve form of the disease, with closer monitoring of liver tests. The hold on the heart trial, MAGNITUDE, stayed.
NeurologyLive, 28 Jan 2026 - Animal study
Microrobots
ETH Zurich researchers reported in Science that they steered drug-carrying microrobots through the blood vessels of pigs and the brain fluid of a sheep; in more than 95% of tests the drug reached the right spot. Their next goal is trials in people.
ETH Zurich via EurekAlert, 13 Nov 2025 - Setback
In-body gene editing
The FDA put Intellia's two phase 3 trials of nex-z on hold after a patient had severe liver injury. The patient died on November 5, 2025.
NeurologyLive, 28 Jan 2026 - Human trial
In-body gene editing
Doctors at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine treated a baby, KJ, born with a rare metabolic disease, with a gene-editing therapy made just for him and delivered to his liver in lipid nanoparticles. It was given safely, and he is growing well. The case was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, 15 May 2025 - Funding or dealCompany-reported
NBTXR3
Nanobiotix licensed NBTXR3 to Janssen, a Johnson & Johnson company, for development and sale worldwide.
Nanobiotix, 24 Sept 2026
Who makes it
The companies behind it
Who is building what we track in this topic. Where a company's own filings say how much of its business is nano, we show it.
- PFENYSEPfizer
Markets Comirnaty, the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine it developed with BioNTech.
We track:mRNA vaccines
- BNTXNasdaqBioNTech
Developed the Comirnaty mRNA vaccine with Pfizer; more than a billion doses were supplied by July 2021.
We track:mRNA vaccines
- MRNANasdaqModerna
Develops mRNA medicines carried in lipid nanoparticles, including a personalized cancer vaccine with Merck.
We track:mRNA vaccinesmRNA cancer vaccine
- MRKNYSEMerck & Co.
Develops intismeran autogene, a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine, with Moderna.
We track:mRNA cancer vaccine
- ALNYNasdaqAlnylam Pharmaceuticals
Makes Onpattro, an RNA medicine that reaches the liver inside a lipid nanoparticle.
We track:Onpattro
- NBTXNasdaqNanobiotixPure play
Develops NBTXR3, hafnium oxide nanoparticles injected into tumors to boost radiotherapy, now licensed to Johnson & Johnson.
We track:NBTXR3
- JNJNYSEJohnson & Johnson
Leads the global phase 3 trial of NBTXR3, the radiotherapy-boosting nanoparticles it licensed from Nanobiotix.
We track:NBTXR3
- ONTLSEOxford Nanopore Technologies
Makes DNA and RNA sequencers that read genetic code through engineered protein nanopores.
We track:Nanopore sequencing
- NTLANasdaqIntellia Therapeutics
Develops CRISPR gene-editing treatments delivered into the body by lipid nanoparticles, led by nex-z.
We track:In-body gene editing
From the same team: Longevity Progress, for treatments aimed at living longer and healthier.