Nanoparticle system for targeted cancer treatment

This technology is a scavenging nanoparticle platform for targeted treatment of metastatic tumors and associated pain.

Unmet Need: Safe, effective strategies for pain management in cancer patients

Chemotherapies often lead to drug resistance and are associated with various systemic side effects. Additionally, cancer patients often experience severe inflammation and pain, highlighting the need for targeted therapeutics that mitigate nociception while effectively eliminating malignant cells.

The Technology: Targeted drug-loaded, non-opioid nanoparticles for cancer and pain treatment

This technology is a multifunctional scavenging nanoparticle (NP) for targeted treatment of metastatic tumors and inflammation. This technology can modulate pro-inflammatory and pro-migratory toll-like receptor (TLR) activation, demonstrating a longer circulation time and enhanced tumor targeting efficiency compared to free drugs. The NPs can incorporate chemotherapeutics and other agents for targeted cancer treatment. Additionally, this technology can be modified to package pain receptor-specific antagonists for intervention against cancer-related pain.

This technology has been demonstrated in mouse models to mediate pro-migratory and pro-inflammatory TLR activation with longer circulation time than free drugs.

Applications:

• Treatment of metastatic tumors
• Pain management for cancer patients
• System for targeted drug delivery and pain relief in other diseases

Advantages:

• Non-addictive pain management
• Lower off-target, systemic side effects
• Improved therapeutic index

Lead Inventor:

Kam Leong, Ph.D.

Patent Information:

Patent Pending(US/2025/0090489)

Related Publications

• Bhansali D, Tu NH, Inoue K, Teng S, Li T, Tran HD, Kim DH, Dong J, Peach CJ, Sokrat B, Jensen DD, Dolan JC, Yamano S, Robinson VM, Bunnett NW, Albertson DG, Leong KW, Schmidt BL. “PAR2 on oral cancer cells and nociceptors contributes to oral cancer pain that can be relieved by nanoparticle-encapsulated AZ3451” Biomaterials. 2025 Mar;314:122874.

• Li T, Akinade T, Zhou J, Wang H, Tong Q, He S, Rinebold E, Valencia Salazar LE, Bhansali D, Zhong Y, Ruan J, Du J, Dalerba P, Leong KW. “Therapeutic Nanocarriers Inhibit Chemotherapy-Induced Breast Cancer Metastasis” Adv Sci. 2022 Nov;9(33):e2203949.

Tech Ventures Reference:

• IR CU21031

• Licensing Contact: Joan Martinez