Assessing the Cost-Effectiveness of DNA Origami Nanostructures for Targeted Delivery of Anti-Cancer Drugs to Tumors

The study evaluated the cost-effectiveness of DNA origami nanostructures for targeted anti-cancer drug delivery, highlighting their potential to reduce chemotherapy side effects and improve quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Despite promising technical aspects, the economic assessment was limited by the absence of human studies and clinical trials. The research estimated development costs between £50 million and £4 billion, with potential annual revenues of $100 million. It modeled scenarios where DNA nanostructures could be cost-effective if they provided significant QALY gains, even with higher initial costs. The study concluded that DNA nanostructures could be commercially viable if produced cost-effectively at scale, though further exploration of off-target effects and regulatory challenges was necessary.