Targeted pulmonary drug delivery in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) therapy: A patient-specific in silico study based on magnetic nanoparticles-coated microcarriers adhesion

Ebrahimi, Sina; Shamloo, Amir; Alishiri, Mojgan; Mozhdehbakhsh Mofrad, Yasaman; Akherati, Fatemeh

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly most confirmed cases develop respiratory syndromes. Using targeted drug delivery by microcarriers is one of the most important noteworthy methods for delivering drugs to the involved bronchi. This study aims to investigate the performance of a drug delivery that applies microcarriers to each branch of the lung under the influence of a magnetic field. The results show that by changing the inlet velocity from constant to pulsatile, the drug delivery performance to the lungs increases by ∼31%. For transferring the microcarriers to the right side branches (LUL and LLL), placing the magnet at zero height and ∼30° angle yields the best outcome. Also, the microcarriers' delivery to branch LUL improves by placing the magnet at LUL-LLL bifurcation and the angle of ∼30°. It was observed that dense ( 9300 [ kg m 3 ] ) microcarriers show the best performance for delivering drugs to LLL and RLL&RML branches. Also, low-density ( 1000 [ kg m 3 ] ) microcarriers are best for delivering drugs to LUL and RUL branches. The findings of this study can improve our understanding of different factors, such as inlet velocity, the magnet’s position, and the choice of microcarrier – that affect drug delivery to the infected parts of the lung.