Search Results - Therapeutics+%26+prevention

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This invention provides a new strategy for nucleic acid delivery by using novel cross-linkable and surface-charge modifiable synthetic polymers. The use of the novel polymer system allows for robust nuclecid-polymer complexation, easy removal of cationic moieties of the polymer and self-crosslinking of the polymer in a single step, and stimuli-responsive release of the nucleic acid molecules in the cell.

This invention provides a novel therapeutic platform to combat multidrug-resistant bacterial and biofilm infections using engineered polymeric nanoparticles. The polymeric nanoparticles can penetrate and eradicate pre-formed bacterial biofilms while maintaining high therapeutic indices. The nanoparticles are formed via self-assembly of engineered synthetic polymers in aqueous solutions, without the need to use any organic solvent or purification procedures.

Bacterial biofilms are widely associated with persistent infections. The amphiphilic construct of biofilms provides protection for bacterial cells by reducing absorption of conventional antimicrobials. This invention provides new nanoparticle-stabilized antimicrobial microcapsules that can effectively inhibit and eradicate pathogenic biofilms. The microcapsules contain antimicrobial essential oil materials and can efficiently deliver such materials to the cells of pathogenic bacteria in the biofilm, resulting in effective killing of the bacteria.

Bacterial biofilms are widely associated with persistent infections. The amphiphilic construct of biofilms provides protection for bacterial cells by reducing absorption of conventional antimicrobials. This invention provides new antimicrobial nanocapsules that can effectively inhibit and eradiate pathogenic biofilms. The nanocapsules contain an antimicrobial essential oil and can efficiently deliver the essential oil to the cells of pathogenic bacteria in the biofilm, resulting in effective killing of the bacteria.

This invention provides a general and efficient protein delivery platform that enables intracellular delivery of proteins having different physiochemical properties. The delivery system involves the use of surface functionalized nanoparticles to form self-assembled superstructures with the protein to be delivered. The nanoparticle-protein assemblies effectively escape endosomal entrapment and rapidly deliver the protein into the cell cytosol or the targeting organelle. This protein delivery system has been successfully demonstrated for the efficient delivery of the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system as well as a number of other proteins with different physiochemical properties.

This invention provides a general and efficient protein delivery platform that enables intracellular delivery of proteins having different physiochemical properties. The delivery system involves the use of surface functionalized nanoparticles to form self-assembled superstructures with the protein to be delivered. The nanoparticle-protein assemblies effectively escape endosomal entrapment and rapidly deliver the protein into the cell cytosol or the targeting organelle. This protein delivery system has been successfully demonstrated for the efficient delivery of the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing system as well as a number of other proteins with different physiochemical properties.

The incidence of brain and central nervous system (CNS) infections is rising at an alarming rate, while treatment options remain very limited. Only about 5% of existing small-molecule medicines can cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), and none of the currently approved protein therapeutics are capable of doing so. With increasing resistance of pathogens to common antibiotics and dire side effects of the immune system’s inflammatory response (frequently leading to brain abscess), CNS infections present doctors with a grave challenge. Clearly, there exists a significant and unmet need for novel biopharmaceuticals that can control CNS and brain infections in the most efficient way without eliciting an immune response from the patient. Dr. Kaltashov’s team has developed novel protein conjugates composed of covalently linked transferrin (a promising drug carrier than can cross the BBB) and lysozyme (an antibacterial enzyme that is not normally present in cerebrospinal fluid). These conjugates are designed to penetrate the BBB and combat Gram-positive bacterial infections of the brain and CNS while eliminating the risks and complications associated with conventional pharmaceutical treatments.

Applications:

Targeted protein therapy, designed to cross the blood-brain barrier, can potentially treat Gram-positive bacterial infections of the brain and central nervous system (e.g., meningitis, encephalitis, brain abscess) that result from complications due to skull fractures, medical implants, untreated infections, or immune system compromise.