Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery, Tissue Targeting and Imaging Analysis

Abstract

Nanoparticles made of lipoproteins, lipids, and telodendrimers for in vivo drug delivery, tissue/cancer targeting, and imaging analysis.

Full Description

Nanolipoprotein particles (NLPs) are nanoscale patches of lipid bilayer stabilized by peripheral scaffold. NLPs have distinct advantages over currently used membrane systems in terms of particle size and consistency. Currently, the greatest use of NLPs has been the stabilization and characterization of membrane proteins.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed a novel nanoparticle. When used to synthesize NLPs, these nanoparticles allow for NLPs to be used in  in vivo drug delivery, tissue/cancer targeting, and imaging analysis. Additionally this technology also provides important information about the structure and function of membrane-bound proteins in water soluble particles that mimic the hydrophobic cell membrane. The combination of lipoprotein, lipids, and telodendrimers creates highly homogenous nanoparticles throughout the NLP, which has not been achieved by other means.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis have developed a novel nanoparticle. When used to synthesize NLPs, these nanoparticles allow for NLPs to be used in in vivo drug delivery, tissue/cancer targeting, and imaging analysis. Additionally this technology also provides important information about the structure and function of membrane-bound proteins in water soluble particles that mimic the hydrophobic cell membrane. The combination of lipoprotein, lipids, and telodendrimers creates highly homogenous nanoparticles throughout the NLP, which has not been achieved by other means.

Applications

• Supporting membrane proteins, small molecules, hydrophobic drugs and other moieties for targeting specific tissues and tumors for drug treatment and drug development
• Rapid design and production of in vivo targeting, imaging and therapeutic delivery of biologically active molecules though direct surface conjugation to the telodendrimers
• Effective drug delivery system that can further increase drug efficacy

Features/Benefits

• Nanoparticle synthesis does not require pre-purification of reagents or detergent solubilization of components
• Allows for the production of membrane proteins that can be captured as isolated as soluble entities
• Utilizes entirely cell-free processes and technologies
• Telo-NLP nanoparticles can execute site specific attachment/immobilization though telodendrimer-based chemistry, which means that no antibodies or fusion protein tags are required to immobilize the nanoparticles on any desired surface
• Telo-NLP nanoparticles use non-antigenic material
• The final size and monodispersity of the nanoparticles can be selected for by varying the ratio of telodendrimer-to-lipid concentrations, or varying the telodendrimers themselves
• Multiple types of telodendrimers can be used in synthesis to allow for multifaceted functions, including tumor targeting or drug delivery
• Novel size and stable compound

Patent Status

Additional Patent Pending