Value Proposition: Brain tumors have poor survival rates and treatment options are limited due to the requirement of therapeutics to cross the blood-brain-barrier to reach the tumor site. Convection-enhanced delivery (CED) of nanoformulations is gaining increasing attention to overcome this challenge. However, there is an unmet need for imaging modalities to effectively monitor the micro-distribution of drugs to ensure optimal treatment efficacy. This invention describes novel dendrimer-conjugated nanoformulations that exhibit strong CEST-MRI contrast and presents a powerful platform for drug delivery and imaging of cancers, such as brain tumors. Advantages include:
• Novel drug-loaded dendrimer-conjugated nanocarriers
• Biocompatible, easily adaptable agents for sensitive CEST-MRI imaging
• Enables targeted delivery across blood-brain-barrier and detection in brain tumors
• Widely applicable for monitoring of drug delivery and efficacy, diagnostic imaging, and personalized treatment planning
Technical Details: Johns Hopkins researchers have developed novel dendritic nanoformulations that exhibit strong CEST-MRI contrast making them well-suited for targeted delivery and imaging of therapeutic agents. In vivo studies demonstrated their use for monitoring CED into U87 glioblastoma bearing mice. Addition of varying functional groups allows modifying pharmacokinetics while retaining strong CEST contrast. Hence, this represents a powerful new platform for various medical applications including monitoring drug delivery and therapeutic efficacy as well as disease categorization and treatment planning of brain tumors and other types of cancer and lymphatic vessels.
Looking for Partners: To develop and commercialize the technology into a theranostic for brain cancer.
Data Availability: Animal Data
Patent Status: Pending PCT Application
Associated Publications: Nano Lett. 2016 Apr 13;16(4):2248-53.
