Columbia Technology Ventures

Targeted drug delivery to diseased lung tissue

This technology is a steered catheter system for delivering liquid-based therapeutics and suspensions to specific regions in the lung.

Unmet Need: Method for targeted delivery of therapeutics into the lung

Pulmonary diseases such as cystic fibrosis, bronchopneumonia, and cancer are often localized in specific regions of the lung that are difficult to access for treatment. Pre-clinical studies of mesenchymal stem cell therapy for acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), cystic fibrosis, and emphysema have all revealed potential therapeutic benefits in the treatment of these diseases. However, current delivery methods such as aerosols, intravenous, or oral medications, are often non-targeted which can require higher doses to achieve a therapeutic effect and pose problems when the drug is expensive to manufacture (ex. proteins, cells, etc.) or when the drug is cytotoxic (ex. chemotherapeutics). Previous bronchoscopes and catheters have been unable to reach into the subsegmental portions of the lung due to their large size or insufficient flexibility and/or maneuverability to enter subsegmental portions of the airway.

The Technology: Image-guided catheter system for precise, targeted treatment of difficult to access lung regions

This technology uses a steered-catheter system introduced through the trachea and paired with both external and catheter mounted optical fiber-based imaging to deliver small volumes of liquids containing drugs, bioactive molecules, genes, cells, or pleural sealants to subsegmental regions of a lung. The technology further describes methods for generating a liquid plug and employs precise air ventilation to ultimately deliver the therapeutic to the most distal alveoli. Obtaining CT scans prior to the instillation procedure allows the accompanying AI algorithms to generate 3D maps of a patient’s lung to plan the best route to the desired target location, as well as pre-determining the amount of liquid necessary to cover the intended lung tissue. As a result, this technology offers a precise method for treating affected lung tissue with reduced dosage and potential side-effects, while preserving delicate lung structure due to a minimally invasive and targeted drug delivery procedure.

This technology has been validated in small and large animal lungs. Cell delivery into the distal gas exchange regions (i.e., alveoli) of rat lungs was confirmed using minimally invasive, real-time transpleural imaging.

Applications:

  • In-situ delivery of therapeutic molecules or cells
  • Method to deliver pulmonary sealants for airway leaks
  • Localized biopsy tool
  • Obstruction removal from airways
  • Airway and lung tissue visualization
  • In-situ delivery of imaging reagents (i.e. fluorescent probes, dyes)
  • Tool to measure pressure and volume in certain regions of the lung

Advantages:

  • Targeted delivery system of therapeutics
  • Minimally invasive procedure
  • Reduced volumes of drugs necessary to achieve therapeutic effect
  • Reduced side-effects from potentially cytotoxic drugs
  • Adaptable for adult and child patients with varying pulmonary anatomies
  • Broad scope of deliverable liquids for imaging, diagnostic, and therapeutic applications

Lead Inventor:

Gordana Vunjak-Novakovic, Ph.D.

Patent Information:

Patent Status

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