Columbia Technology Ventures

Programmable nanoencapsulation for probiotic delivery

This technology is a probiotic nanoencapsulation system to enhance the efficacy and safety of probiotic administration.

Unmet Need: Safe and efficacious probiotic delivery

Current methods for delivery of engineered bacteria in therapeutic applications lack efficacy and safety. Rapid clearance of bacteria by the host immune system decreases colonization and subsequent efficacy. On the other hand, insufficient bacterial clearance can cause bacteremia and sepsis. There is a need for a safe and efficient bacterial delivery system.

The Technology: Tunable nanoencapsulation system for probiotic delivery

This technology is a programmable bacterium capable of producing a protective capsule based on signals from external sources that can be used for therapeutic delivery. The probiotic strain E. coli Nissle 1917 was engineered to contain a gene responsible for the production of a polysaccharide capsule to evade the host surveillance system. With active gene control, initial bacteria pharmacokinetics and colonization can be modulated to increase safety and efficacy for cancer therapy.

This technology has been validated in a mouse model of colorectal cancer.

Applications:

  • Probiotic-based cancer therapy
  • Tunable bacterial drug delivery
  • Microbiome engineering
  • Biomaterial production
  • Cancer diagnostics
  • Food production and safety
  • Bioremediation
  • Waste disposal and nutrient recycling

Advantages:

  • Improves anti-tumor efficacy
  • Increases safety of intravenous bacteria administration
  • Allows for modulatory in situ nanoencapsulation
  • Allows for probiotic evasion of host immune surveillance

Lead Inventor:

Tal Danino, Ph.D.

Patent Information:

Patent Pending(US20240293474)

Related Publications:

Tech Ventures Reference: