This technology is a method to treat atherosclerosis with nanoparticles containing inflammation-resolving compounds.
Current treatment for atherosclerosis, which can cause cardiovascular disease, often involves using lipid-lowering drugs, such as statins. While statins are able to reduce mortality, they are not sufficient to prevent progression and can cause systemic side effects. Advances in vascular biology have revealed a pivotal role of inflammation in the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis. Although a number of promising arterial-wall targets have been identified and validated using molecular-genetic approaches in animal models, many of these are not amenable to systemic or oral delivery due to the nature of the compounds, lack of efficient delivery to plaques, safety concerns, and pharmacokinetic issues. Therefore, there remains a substantial need for methods to reduce inflammation as a potential treatment option for cardiovascular disease.
The technology is a method that allows the delivery of inflammation-resolving compounds to arteries by encapsulating them into biodegradable polymeric nanoparticles that specifically target them to atherosclerotic sites. These nanoparticles have four main components: 1) a targeting element that can selectively bind to cells, tissues, or organs of the body; 2) a diagnostic agent that allows visualization of nanoparticles at the site of delivery; 3) an outside “stealth” layer that allows the particles to evade recognition by immune system components and increase particle circulation half-life; and 4) a biodegradable polymeric material, forming an inner core which can carry therapeutics and release the payloads at a sustained rate after systemic, intraperitoneal, or mucosal administration. As a result, this technology offers a potent method of targeted drug delivery for resolving inflammation and promote tissue repair without adverse systemic effects observed with untargeted therapies.
This technology has been validated in mouse models.
IR CU13129
Licensing Contact: Joan Martinez